Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag appears keen to put his stamp on the current squad by overseeing a mass exodus from Old Trafford this summer, with recent reports having suggested that as many as 13 players could be shown the exit door.
While not among that list, one man who also may have an uncertain future at the club is polarising midfielder, Fred, with The Guardian revealing earlier in the season that the Brazil international could be one of those to depart at the end of the campaign.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk man – who was signed during Jose Mourinho's tenure on a £52m deal in 2018 – currently has just over a year to run on his existing deal, with United having triggered a 12-month extension on the midfielder's contract back in December.
Whether the Red Devils are to cash in on the 30-year-old this summer remains to be seen, although if they are to part ways with the £120k-per-week man, it is unlikely that they will be able to recoup anywhere close to the player's initial cost.
How much is Fred worth now?
While potentially impacted by Fred's age and contract status, the 5 foot 7 playmaker has seen his value decrease significantly since the Premier League side splashed out that £52m fee, with CIES Football Observatory now valuing him at just £18m.
That decline is an indication of the one-time Internacional man's inability to perform on a consistent basis, with Daily Express journalist Alex Turk summarising that frustration best by stating that "the occasional stand-out games aren’t enough", with Fred largely something of a "liability".
Although the diminutive midfielder can thrive at times, as Turk alluded too, having been hailed as like a "mosquito" by Ten Hag after proving a real pest in the Europa League win over Barcelona, such outings have been few and far between over the years.
The 32-cap menace has been described as "not good enough" for the club by ex-United skipper, Roy Keane, while the former Republic of Ireland international also dubbed the player as "sloppy and lazy".
It is, at times, difficult to see just what the experienced dud is able to offer to the side as defensively he can be rather weak – winning just 49% of his total duels in the Premier League this season – while also proving somewhat underwhelming in an attacking sense, with just 14 goals and 18 assists to his name in 201 games for the club.
For Fred to have even reached that double-century for appearances is to his credit, although that will not shake the feeling that Mourinho and co vastly overpaid in bringing the player to England just under five years ago.
