Manchester United ‘reach agreement’ with Shakhtar Donetsk over Fred transfer

Fred will arrive at Old Trafford for a fee of around £52m

Manchester United have confirmed the signing of Brazil international Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk.

The 25-year-old midfielder joins for a fee understood to be in the region of £52m, with north of £40m guaranteed and the rest to be paid in add-ons.

Fred was in Liverpool to face Croatia with Brazil, a game they won 2-0 at Anfield on Sunday, before making the short trip over to Manchester to finalise the move and complete a medical.

In a statement on their website, the club said: "Manchester United is delighted to announce it has reached agreement with Shakhtar Donetsk for the transfer of Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos (Fred). A further announcement will be made in due course."

Fred will fill the gap vacated by Michael Carrick's retirement in Jose Mourinho's squad next season, with Marouane Fellaini also likely to leave on a free transfer.

The Brazilian, a box-to-box midfielder who was seen as a cheaper alternative to the in-demand Sergei Milinkovic-Savic of Lazio, is expected to double his wages in the Premier League while his early arrival will allow Mourinho and Ed Woodward to focus on defensive reinforcements, a priority for the Old Trafford club this summer.

United supporters will be able to see Fred in action during Brazil's final World Cup 2018 warm-up game against Austria on Sunday, before they kick off their campaign in Russia against Switzerland a week later.