According to Fred’s agent, the Brazilian midfielder did not choose Manchester United over Manchester City as a result of money motivation.
Manchester City first expressed an interest in Fred during the January transfer window but the Brazilian midfielder ended up joining fierce rivals United in a £53m deal earlier this summer.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk man is represented by ex-Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva, who says rumors money was the main motivating factor in his client’s decision to move to Old Trafford are not true.
“About Manchester City, he had the chance to leave in January,’ Silva told Brazilian outlet UOL. But Shakhtar vetoed, there was no conversation. A good offer arrived, even bigger than the one from now. But Shakhtar understood that he was the most important player of the club.
They didn’t want to negotiate, vetoed the exit. We did the planning which was to leave in the summer and he bought the idea. Everything we talked about, he understood the process, bought the idea. It was cool because the conduct before Shakhtar within the negotiation was very correct. Professional conduct on our part and the part of him also, for not having lost his performance [after the failed move to Manchester City].”
“It was a negotiation opportunity that was passing. We explained to him and we said the club would not let him go. We could fight, but I said we wanted to do it differently.”
Fred has now made three competitive appearances for United and looks to have been a shrewd acquisition.