As reported by The Mirror, Manchester United are interested in signing Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred.

What’s the story?

Jose Mourinho arguably still has not found the right blend in the central midfield areas to truly compete for the English Premier League title or UEFA Champions League, still searching for the perfect partner for Paul Pogba.

With Marouane Fellaini on the verge of leaving, The Mirror report that Manchester United are eyeing Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred as a potential replacement.

With La Liga clubs also chasing him, the Red Devils face competition, but The Mirror say a move to the English Premier League would likely turn his head.

Rated at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old has been in sparkling form for the Ukrainians, but does he have what it takes to make it at United?

Ready for a step up?

Fred moved from his homeland to Ukraine way back in 2013 and since then has made himself a firm fixture in the Shakhtar midfield, showing this season he can perform at a level to be of interest to teams like Manchester United.

He’s been a standout for his club in the UEFA Champions League, helping them bag nine points from their first four fixtures, in an excellent position to progress to the last 16 of the competition alongside Manchester City.

His defensive contribution shines in the heart of the midfield, with his tackling and passing skills making him a fierce but classy opponent, the type of defensive midfielder that United could do with.

With Paul Pogba set to return to action soon, Mourinho still needs to find the perfect player to complement him and Fred appears to fit the bill, if he can deal with the pressure of stepping up to one of the world’s biggest clubs.