5 stars who seem destined for the Premier League this summer

#4 Fred

Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk - UEFA Champions League — Fred (centre) could be the natural successor to Fernandinho at Manchester City

One of the bigger upsets from this season’s Champions League was that Shakhtar Donetsk were able to progress through the group stage ahead of Italian giants Napoli, even beating Manchester City along the way. They might’ve been eliminated since by Roma, but they opened some eyes and one of their key players was Brazilian midfielder Fred, who was ever-present during the campaign.

A fleet-footed midfielder who is capable of using either foot and has magnificent ball control, Fred has shown that he’s equally skilled as an attacker – he chipped in with 1 goal and 1 assist in the Champions League – and as a more defensive midfielder too – the position he learned under legendary holding man Dunga during his time at Internacional. And at just 25 he’s probably only just entering his prime.

Current rumours have both Manchester clubs interested in Fred, but it seems like City is his more likely destination – Pep Guardiola has apparently been promised a multi-million war chest to spend in the summer and sees Fred as the natural successor to another former Shakhtar midfielder in Fernandinho. The Brazilian wouldn’t necessarily be the most glamorous signing, but he’d certainly fill a role in Guardiola’s side – and could cost a lot of money too if he impresses in this summer’s World Cup.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram