The Brazilian was one of Jose Mourinho's final signings as manager with it taking £47m to lure him from Shakhtar Donetsk. But a lacklustre first season meant he was set for a squad role this term but Martyn Pert, one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's coaches, is thought to have been pivotal in the turnaround. Pert speaks Portuguese and took Fred aside to remind him about how he should act in public, reports the Times. And Solskjaer himself has praised Pert for helping Fred communicate with him and the rest of the team. “One of our coaches, Martyn Pert, has come in from Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS and he is fluent in Portuguese, so it’s easier for Fred to communicate with us all now.”

Source: Daily Mirror March 28, 2020 20:42 UTC