Fulham: Whites eyeing Fred, offer pending
The Brazilian has been linked all window.
Fulham are eyeing Man United midfielder Fred but the Red Devils are still waiting on their formal offer, according to BBC journalist Simon Stone
Who will Fulham sign?
Marco Silva’s side, after weeks of waiting, finally confirmed their first summer signings in the last fortnight as both defender Calvin Bassey and striker Raul Jimenez joined the club.
Bassey, who put pen to paper on an £18.2 million move from Ajax, will bolster Fulham’s defensive ranks and brings top level experience – having thrived in the Eredivisie whilst enjoying a Europa League run with Rangers the season prior.
Jimenez, meanwhile, could help to fill the void by the potentially departing Aleksandar Mitrovic – especially given the Mexico international’s Premier League experience.
Reports suggest Fulham could yet add fresh faces to their roster before September 1, with Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi and Everton’s Demarai Gray at the centre of interest.
Fred is another player to have been linked with a move to Craven Cottage this summer with some media sources previously claiming he is open to joining.
The Brazilian, rumoured to be on around £120,000-per-week, is still very much a target for Silva and co, according to The BBC and journalist Simon Stone.
It is believed they’re keen on signing him, but are yet to place a firm offer for Fred on the table. Nothing else is said beyond that, but it appears they could still make a move for the South American.
Fred is also named as one of the number of players Erik ten Hag will be looking to move on, in order to raise funds for Man United’s late transfer activity.
As well as the 30-year-old, goalkeeper Dean Henderson, defender Eric Bailly and midfielder Donny van de Beek are not thought to be part of ten Hag’s plans moving forward.
How good is Fred?
Fred, for his part, featured fairly regularly over the 2022/2023 season for United, amassing 35 league appearances in total, but starting places were few and far between.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk star was given the starting nod just 12 times by ten Hag last term, with a further 23 of his outings coming from the substitute’s bench (WhoScored).
That being said, he was highly rated by previous Man United coaches, including former interim boss Ralf Rangnick, who called Fred an “extremely valuable” player to have in your squad.
Rangnick praised his work ethic in particular, not to mention Fred’s ability as a “technical” player.
“For me, he is an extremely valuable player, a team player in the true sense,” said Rangnick (via Sky Sports).
“A player who puts in every effort that he has and would give his last drop of blood for the team.
“He’s also a player who can score goals and has those surprising elements in his game, little flick-ons, and he can be a technical player too.
“That combination makes him extremely valuable, and to reduce him to only a number six, a defensive midfield player, does not rate him highly enough. He can do a lot more than just defend.”
