As he is the coach ,he knows best. Jose Mourinho thinks Fred will benefit massively from Manchester United becoming a stronger defensive unit in the future.
Fred was United’s most-expensive summer recruit after the Red Devils paid more than £50m to Shakhtar Donetsk for his services. However, his transition to English football hasn’t been as smooth as he would have liked, making just six Premier League starts so far.
Mourinho, though, does expect Fred to get better as more of United’s defensive options return to fitness, while there is still a possibility that the club could strengthen in the January window.
“Step by step, you have also other players in other clubs that needed their time and you have some of them that played even less than what Fred is playing,” Mourinho told reporters.
“I think Fred, when the team is defensively stronger and doesn’t need in midfield, people that is more worried in giving balance to the team than being involved in creation and attacking dynamic, the day we are stronger defensively I think the horizons for Fred change completely.”
Mourinho was also asked if he has any players back from injury for his side’s match against Fulham at the weekend, he replied: “I don’t know. Training session, 11 o’clock will give us some answers, Smalling, Jones, Martial, Bailly.
“Of course Lindelof and Alexis, we don’t even speak about them but we need answers and for sure we are going to play with players not in the maximum of their potential but players who will put themselves available for the team like Smalling did in the last match, like Jones did against Southampton, players in difficulty who go one step forward to try and help the team.”