My Inspiration: Man Utd midfielder Fred says he owes so much to his grandfather

On the day we celebrate fathers in the UK (Sunday 21 June) it’s perhaps appropriate that the Brazilian mentioned a paternal influence, when asked who had most inspired his rise in professional football.

The 27-year-old, who joined United in the summer of 2018 from Shakhtar Donetsk, has become an important influence on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team during 2019/20, but his story began years ago, back in Belo Horizonte, with a simple dream and a grandfather that was a pillar of strength.