Man City reportedly agree £44.5m Fred deal | OneFootball

Manchester City have agreed to sign Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred for £44.5 million this summer, according to Goal.

City tried to sign the Brazilian midfielder last month but were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempts to bring the 24-year-old to the Etihad Stadium during the winter transfer window, nor were they able to agree terms with the Ukrainian club on a summer transfer.

But it is now being reported that all parties have agreed a deal and Fred – who has also attracted the interest of Manchester United – will become a City player at the end of the season.

The former Internacional man has so far been capped six times by the Brazilian national team and is represented by former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva.

In late 2017, Pep Guardiola is understood to have identified Fred as a potential long-term successor to Fernandinho, who also joined City from Shakhtar in the summer of 2013.

And speaking earlier this week, former Shakhtar boss Mircea Lucescu suggested Fred would soon be following his compatriot to Manchester.

“Shakhtar Donetsk’s best player is Fred in the centre of midfield,” Lucescu is reported as saying by The Mirror.

“He was a bit anarchic on the left. I moved him in front of the defence.

“He will go to City like Fernandinho before him.”