Why Manchester United could end up missing Fred before the end of the season

Ex-Manchester United midfielder Fred could be set to make his competitive debut for Fenerbahçe in the Turkish Super Lig on Monday evening, following his £12.8m move from the Red Devils last week.

Fenerbahçe are looking to keep a perfect start with an away trip to Samsunspor, with Fred anticipated to start the match alongside former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko. The Bosnian striker scored both goals in the side’s opening 2-1 victory over Gaziantep FK last Sunday. Fred posted a picture of himself to his X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, account in Fenerbahçe training on Sunday with the caption: "Ready for tomorrow."

The Brazilian spent five years at Manchester United, making 139 Premier League appearances. He won the Carabao Cup as well as reaching the finals of FA Cup and Europa League for the club, losing both to Manchester City and Villarreal respectively. Despite being often criticised for his less-than-impressive performances during his early United career - under Erik Ten Hag last season Fred seemed to flourish.

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The player was integral across the two-legged victory over La Liga champions Barcelona in the Europa League’s second round. Choruses of ‘Fred will tear you apart again’ rung around Old Trafford during his on-pitch interview with BT Sport after the return fixture, the Brazilian saying: "It’s very good to hear my name [sung] by the fans."

Following the match, United manager Ten Hag also pinpointed the midfielder’s importance to the result, telling BT Sport: "What he can do really well, is