‘We Signed Him To Warm The Bench’ – United Fans React As Mourinho Explains £47m Signing’s Lack Of Games

‘We Signed Him To Warm The Bench’ – United Fans React As Mourinho Explains £47m Signing’s Lack Of Games

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he has held back from playing summer signing Fred more often due to worries over the team’s defence.

The Brazilian international was signed from Shakhtar Donetsk for £47m in June but has started just six Premier League games this season.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference yesterday, Mourinho said:


“When the team is defensively stronger and does not need in midfield people that are more about giving some balance to the team than being involved in creating and attacking dynamics – the day we are stronger defensively, I think the horizons for Fred change completely,”

Fans on social media were not convinced by the United boss’s explanation:

It is certainly true that in recent weeks the team has struggled defensively because of a lack of fit centre-backs. However, the problems in the backline began at the start of the campaign.

While Fred was picked in the starting eleven for the defeats against Brighton and Tottenham earlier in the season, United have also conceded just as many without him in the side.

It’s apparent that many United supporters would like to see Fred given more opportunities to play, and he could well benefit from the recent switch to three at the back. Whether he’ll get another opportunity to shine soon, we’ll just have to wait and see.

David Tully

David Tully

David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for National World's Football News Network.