Fiorentina have reportedly tabled an offer to sign Manchester United flop Fred, who has yet to feature at the start of the 2019-20 campaign.
As per The Independent, the Brazilian midfielder completed a £52 million switch to Old Trafford from Shakhtar Donetsk last summer, but he has since failed to live up to expectations in the famous red shirt.
The 26-year-old was restricted to just 17 Premier League appearances last term, failing to earn a place in Jose Mourinho’s starting XI before also falling out of favour with his successor, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Fred has not been included in any of United’s last three matchday squads amid continued speculation over his future at the club, with the European transfer window set to close on September 2.
According to La Nazione via The Sun, Fiorentina have submitted an £18 million transfer bid for the United misfit, but his current employers are likely to reject the approach and hold out for a fee closer to £27 million.
The report states that the Serie A giants are prepared to pay £14 million upfront, with the remaining four million to be paid in bonuses.
The Sun also adds that United have already turned down several loan approaches for Fred this summer, with it their desire to offload the Brazil international permanently rather than on a temporary basis.
It was hoped that Fred’s presence in the Red Devils’ starting XI would help free up Paul Pogba in the middle of the park, but he has so far been unable to adapt to the demands of English football.
The ex-Shakhtar star seems destined to move on before the end of the month, with Solskjaer unlikely to offer any more chances to a player who flattered to deceive on several occasions last season.
United will have to accept a significant loss on their initial investment if they do decide to sell, but this may be the last chance they get to cash in on Fred before his value drops even further.
