Fred visited his former teammates before a vital Champions League game. In photos with Victor Lindelof, Bruno Fernandes, and Erik Ten Hag, the Brazilian midfielder smiled. A witty comment criticizing United for selling the 30-year-old garnered over 3,000 likes on the club’s Instagram feed. “Bro should have never been sold in the first place,” was a popular and controversial response.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

United transferred Fred to Fenerbahce for £12.9m ($14.9m) in the summer to reconfigure their midfield. A campaign in which Casemiro has struggled for form and fitness and Ten Hag has had to stitch together numerous center-field combinations has certainly raised the Brazilian international’s standing among Old Trafford fans since his departure.

DID YOU KNOW?

Fred debuted in Europe with Shakhtar Donetsk, who prioritized signing promising Brazilian players. Fernandinho, Willian, and Douglas Costa are among the other famous players the creative Ukrainian club transported to Europe until the Russian invasion forced them to leave.