Manchester City Reportedly Target Fred as Fernandinho Replacement

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has reportedly identified Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred as a long-term successor to Fernandinho at the Etihad Stadium.

According to James Robson of the Manchester Evening News, City have made initial steps with a view to a £30 million move in the future, although it's added a January transfer would be tough to broker.

"A January deal for the 24-year-old is seen as a long shot—but by starting the process early, City believe they will have a head start in the summer, just as they did with the signings of Bernardo Silva and Ederson last year," Robson wrote. "And with Fred cup-tied for the Champions League, it is not seen as crucial that he arrives midway through the campaign."

As noted in the report, Manchester United and Arsenal have also been linked with a possible move for the Shakhtar man, who is said to have caught Guardiola's eye when the sides met in the UEFA Champions League earlier this season.

Per the Selecao Brasileira Twitter account, the midfielder has made it clear in the past he would love to link up with Guardiola:

The defensive-midfield position is one area of the City squad where they are short on numbers, as an injury to Fernandinho would be a big issue for the team.

Yaya Toure would be able to fill in there, although the 34-year-old no longer has the energy reserves to adequately protect the defence. Danilo has also been used as a makeshift option in the middle, whereas Fabian Delph could move infield from left-back. 

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However, none of those options would be as effective as Fernandinho, as the Brazilian has been one of City's unsung heroes this term. According to Robson, the 32-year-old is set to agree a new deal with the Premier League leaders soon.

As these numbers from Het Laatste Nieuws' Kristof Terreur reveal, Fernandinho leaves his imprint on matches frequently:

He won't be able to go on forever, though, and as such it makes sense for City to consider alternatives. Fred would be a fascinating option. 

Like Fernandinho, he moved from Brazil to the Ukrainian giants and has been making impressive progress in recent years. Stylistically, there are similarities between the two players as well, with the Shakhtar man a shielding influence in front of the back four and a calm presence on the ball.

As WhoScored.com noted, Fred is excellent at carrying the ball in the middle of the pitch, too:

Considering the factors Robson mentioned, there isn't a huge rush on City's part to get this deal done, especially with Fernandinho's good form and few signs of him slowing down.

In the summer, it's a deal you sense Guardiola will look at as a priority, though. Fernandinho will be another year older and will find it tougher to set such high standards in every game.

Fred appears to be an ideal stylistic replacement and should he head to Manchester, he will hope to be as successful as the previous arrival from Shakhtar.