Fred — full name Frederico Rodrigues de Paula Santos — was born on 3 March 1993 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He began his footballing education at Atlético Mineiro's youth academy in 2003 before moving to SC Internacional's youth setup in 2010, earning promotion to the senior squad in 2012 and winning back-to-back Campeonato Gaúcho titles in 2012 and 2013.
In June 2013 he signed a five-year deal with Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk for around €15 million, marking himself out as one of South America's most promising midfield talents. At Shakhtar he collected three Ukrainian Premier League titles, three Ukrainian Cups, and four Ukrainian Super Cups before Manchester United paid a reported fee to bring him to Old Trafford in June 2018.
A combative, box-to-box midfielder with quick passing range, Fred took time to settle in England but became a reliable fixture in United's midfield from the 2019–20 season onward, often partnering Scott McTominay. His time at United included a League Cup winners' medal in 2022–23. He has earned 32 senior international caps for Brazil since 2014, appearing at both the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
Fred joined Fenerbahçe on a four-year contract in August 2023 for a reported €10 million, and the Turkish club will be looking to him to provide experience and stability in central midfield.