What will Fred add to Manchester United?

Manchester United have completed their second signing of this transfer window. Brazilian midfielder Fred has joined United from Shakhtar Donetsk for a reported fee of £52million. Jose Mourinho was in need to recruit a midfielder as Carrick has hung up his boots and Fellaini looks set for an Old Trafford exit.

Background

Fred started his youth career as a left-back at Atletico Mineiro in Brazil but came to prominence when he joined Internacional in 2010. He won back-to-back local state championships as well as the Recopa Sudamericana. A two-year ban from International after testing positive for the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide football hindered his international career.

Fred playing in Champions League

Fred joined Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013 and had a very successful period winning three league titles, three domestic cups and four domestic super cups. He scored a goal in Champions League last season and also created 9 chances, providing one assist. He also completed 320 passes with a pass accuracy of 84%. At Shakhtar, he played 157 matches and scored 16 goals.

Attributes

The young midfielder is not as tall as his other teammates at Old Trafford but has the qualities of an impressive turn of pace, good short passing, solid ball control and at 25 years of age, he is also just about to enter the prime of his career. He is a technically-gifted player who also has the ability to dribble past through the defence.

He is well-known for his short passing attributes and having Michael Carrick as a coach who himself was the Monalisa of distribution of the ball will only help him to develop. Fred is no direct replacement for Carrick, however. He may have a good range to distribute but still lack the tempo dictating qualities for which Carrick was famous.

Nemanja Matic has been a constant for Jose Mourinho for past few years but one quality which pulls him behind is his pace. Fred is quick, dynamic and can be the final piece of the jigsaw for Jose Mourinho's midfield.

Is he worth the hype?

Fred, Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba can start together if Mourinho sets up his team in a 4-3-3 formation.

Pogba has indicated that he has been asked to do jobs that do not suit his skill set. Jose has deployed him in a two-man midfield more often where he has to protect his centre-backs. His main criticism in this season was that he neither go forward to attack nor he is able to do his defensive duties with utmost sincerity.

Fred is a midfielder who is more suitable to defend. Having Fred and Matic to do the defensive job will give Pogba the license to venture forward to create menace in oppositions box. The composure of Matic and the solidarity of Fred can assist Pogba to concentrate in the final third of the game.

Fred signing will also help Matic to be more reliable as he was exposed for his lack of speed in a few games last season. The Brazilian midfielder is young and energetic. His speed can help United to regain the control of the ball in their own half.

After completing his move to Old Trafford, Fred lauded Jose Mourinho and described United as the biggest club in the world.

"This is the biggest club in the world and I am delighted to be a part of this amazing team. To work with (manager) Jose Mourinho, who has won so many trophies in his time as a coach, is an opportunity not to be missed. I cannot wait to get started and to meet my new team-mates. I would like to thank everyone at Shakhtar Donetsk for everything they have done for me over the past five years," Fred told United's website.