Manchester City are easily the best team in the Premier League at the moment but Pep Guardiola will know that he might have to add some fresh faces, to keep his side at their marauding best. A number of exciting stars have been constantly linked with a move to the Etihad this month and one name that is exciting many City fans is Shakhtar star, Frederico Rodrigues.
Manchester City To Move For Fred:
Frederico Rodrigues, better known as Fred is an important part of the squad at the Russian club and has also signed a long-term contract just this month. However, reports from The Guardian now claim that Manchester City are ready to meet his valuation before the end of the month.
The story also claims that the Russian outfit are ready to off-load him for around £35m, which should not be a problem for the English league leaders. The players is also reportedly interested in the move but what will he bring to Etihad?
Fred And His Style Of Play:
A product of the SC Internacional academy in Brazil, Fred first moved to Europe back in 2013 with Shakhtar and hit the ground running in Russia. He already has 90 appearances in the Russian top flight, where he has managed nine goals to add to six international caps, all at the age of 24.
A versatile midfielder, who can also play as a full-back, Fred is primarily a central midfielder with a good balance to his game. Adept at sitting back and providing cover for his back line, Fred is a player who loves to run the game in the midfield. He has a high key pass ratio, thanks to his vision and technical ability but what makes him effective is his ability to retain the ball for long periods, even under pressure.
He is not awash with tricks and flicks but is honest and loves to throw himself around, which will make him effective in England. He is a threat with his passing during counter-attacks but in Guardiola’s patient build-up play, he has to be more involved and take up the main role in midfield.
Is He An Upgrade?
Manchester City need midfielders who are confident with the ball at their feet and can pick passes to set the team into attack. Fred is more than capable of doing the same, thanks to his calm presence in the midfield, but he does not really improve the quality of the side.
The Citizens have Fernandinho as their first choice CDM at the moment but they need to start thinking about the future, with Yaya Toure also expected to quit the club in the summer. Fred is a decent backup but Guardiola should be looking to sign players who can walk into the first team and not backups that can get them through tough times.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored