Has there been a more impressive turnaround anywhere in the Premier League than at Manchester United and with Fred?
The Brazil international endured a difficult debut campaign at the club after arriving in a whopping £47m deal from Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk.
The 27-year-old played just 25 times across all competitions, and was even linked with a surprise exit from Old Trafford last summer. But how times have changed.
After making his first Premier League start of the campaign back in October against Newcastle, the Brazilian has hardly looked back, and enjoyed a stellar season to date. And here are three things we’ve learned about the United star.
Never judge too quickly
When Fred was in the midst of a difficult period for United last season – at one point fans even appeared to question whether he was Brazilian after his howler against Wolves – it was difficult to see how he could really turn things around at Old Trafford.
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The writing appeared to be on the wall, and an indelible mark left etched on his name. But what the 27-year-old has done this season, is prove that players should never be judged too quickly, particularly in their first season after coming from abroad. Whether it was simply getting adjusted to the pace and physicality of English football, or settling into life off-the-pitch, things have clicked for the midfielder, and he is now showing why United spent big on him.
Most influential midfielder
Whilst Fred’s campaign overall has been impressive, it was only back in September, that during a draw against Arsenal, Gary Neville wondered what the Brazilian actually was. He said: “He looks like he takes the ball, he’s tidy on it. But I don’t see a goalscorer, I don’t see a defensive-midfield player, I don’t see a runner. So I’m not quite sure what I see. You’d like him to fit into one of those categories.”
Well, when you look at Whoscored, Fred excels at a bit of everything. When compared to the rest of his United teammates in the Premier League, he ranks: second for tackles, fourth for interceptions, fourth for key passes, fourth for dribbles and sixth for shots per game. Simply put, he is a jack of all trades, and whilst Neville may see that as a negative, it’s just a reflection of how the midfielder is helping to influence numerous things for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
Pogba who?
Paul Pogba continues to dominate the headlines at United, and sometimes not for the right reasons. Talk of a possible exit from Old Trafford this summer continues, but United fans shouldn’t be too worried by that prospect.
Fred has undoubtedly overtaken the France World Cup winner in terms of midfielders who are amongst the first names on the team-sheet. The Brazilian has started for United in each of the last 22 Premier League games, with only one of them seeing him not complete the full 90 minutes. It’s an indication of the importance Solskjaer places on him, and when the season resumes once more, expect him to remain a key figure for the team.
Meanwhile, Man Utd must make a ruthless decision on this key star.