Krishnan Sreekumar
Manchester United board eyeing new contracts for first-team stars Diogo Dalot and Fred
According to ESPN (h/t Express), Manchester United could offer new contracts to Diogo Dalot and Fred to reward them for their impressive form this season.
Both stars have been influential in the second half of the season, as interim manager Ralf Rangnick’s arrival has ensured that the pair get ample game time and claim their place in the starting XI.
Though Fred was heavily used by the German’s predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the former manager hardly afforded any minutes to Dalot on the pitch. The Norwegian picked Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the right-back role instead, and the Portuguese full-back had to make do with substitute appearances at best.
Fred recently turned to an instant United hero as he came off the bench in the second half to fire the Red Devils ahead against Leeds United on the weekend, scoring a goal within minutes of coming on. The game was at a 2-2 deadlock until the ex-Shakhtar Donetsk man intervened, and he raced over to a raucous United crowd to lap up their appreciation.
Rangnick favourites
While Fred was underwhelming under Solskjaer and Dalot hardly got a sniff in the Premier League, Rangnick has come in and shifted the tide around. The former RB Leipzig boss has regularly used the pair in games, and they now seem to be first-choice for the manager until the end of the season.
Both players are into the final 18 months on their current United contracts, and the club is now set to reward them for their dazzling displays of late with new deals to keep them at the club for a few more years.
It certainly has been different stories for Fred and Dalot in their United careers so far. Both players arrived at Old Trafford in the same transfer window, but have had contrasting times when it comes to being first-team favourites.
Dalot was signed as an exciting young prospect who was capable of bombing forward from defence to supply crosses into the box to help United’s attackers. However, the former Porto player was shelved for the more defensive Wan-Bissaka, despite the Englishman not making a lot of waves with his attacking plays down that side.
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Fred meanwhile, has always been first choice under his managers at United, but failed to win over the crowd in his initial years. The Brazilian always looked like he had a mistake in him despite working hard for the team.
Rangnick has changed the fortunes of both players since taking over at the end of last year, as Dalot and Fred have improved their form and also won over the fans in recent times. They can hope that the new permanent manager in the summer continues to pick them in the starting XI in the coming years, given their new contracts that are being prepared by the United board.
