Erik ten Hag believes Man Utd could already have their De Jong alternative
Suraj Radia
- Updated: 22 Jul 2022 20:55 BST
- 4 min read
Erik ten Hag has hinted that Manchester United could already have their new midfield ‘connector’ at the club, should their move for Frenkie de Jong fall through.
The United boss has been vocal about his side’s need for a new defensive midfielder and De Jong has been the club’s priority target throughout the summer, though the 25-year-old is desperate to stay at Barcelona.
But ten Hag has praised the performances of midfielder Fred in pre-season and believes the Brazilian can continue to succeed in his new role.
Ten Hag said: "In the moment [Fred] is playing in the role as connecter, defending to offence. He is playing the role quite well. I am satisfied with his performance, with his improvement.
“I think he can even be better. I will support him in that. He also brings energy in the team by his attitude."
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United have been pushing to sign De Jong for a number of months but the 25-year-old is uncertain over a switch to Old Trafford despite Barca’s insistence that they need to cash in on the Dutchman.
And Ten Hag has insisted that the club will only move for the right player, otherwise they will develop from within, indicating that Fred may be given a chance under the new manager.
"We're looking for a player who can play in the holding midfield position, but it has to be the right one. There are not many in that position capable of the level we demand,” Ten Hag said.
“When we can't find him, we have to deal with the players in our squad now and we will develop one in that position.
“We need the right player. We have a list and we will strike the moment the player is available.”
💬 Erik: "In the moment, [Fred] is playing in the role of connector, defence to offence.
"I think he's playing quite well, I'm satisfied with his performances and I think he can be better. He brings energy and attitude."#MUFC || #MUTOUR22 pic.twitter.com/nBNn6wEIJc— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 22, 2022
Fred has mainly been deployed as a defensive-minded player since his arrival in 2018 however Ralf Rangnick, who managed the 29-year-old last season during his spell as interim boss, believes there is more to the midfielder.
Speaking in April, Rangnick said: "He’s [Fred] an extremely valuable player, a team player in the true sense, a player who puts in every effort he has and would give his last drop of blood for the team.
"He's also a player who can score goals and has those surprising elements in his game, little flick-ons. He can also be a technical player, too.
"That combination makes him extremely valuable and to reduce him to only a number six or a defensive midfield player doesn't rate him highly enough. He can do a lot more than just defend."
