Fred’s ability to manage all the factors that influence performance has been key to him finally finding form at Manchester United.
That’s according to his personal trainer Tulio Horta, who says he has helped improve the Brazilian’s physical conditioning, sleep quality, nutrition, hydration and mindset.
Jose Mourinho slashed out £52million on Fred back in 2018, and big things were expected of the midfielder who had impressed at Shakhtar Donetsk.
But Fred had a torrid time in his first season at Man United, with Roy Keane among the pundits suggesting he was one of the club’s worst ever signings.
Many were expecting Fred to fall further down the pecking order at Old Trafford when OIe Gunnar Solskjaer took the reins, as he had no obligation to play him.
(Image: Getty Images)
But Fred has established himself as a mainstay in the United squad this campaign, and is one of the first names on Solskjaer’s teamsheet.
Discussing the areas in which Fred has improved, Horta told the MEN: “I can say that the merit is entirely his. He has dedicated himself a lot to get where he is currently.
“We know that performance is something that is not easily achieved, commitment, effort and self-responsibility are necessary and Fred fulfilled all these factors very well together with the club, that does an excellent job with all the players.
“My contribution with Fred is to help him manage all the factors that influence performance – physical conditioning, sleep quality, nutrition, hydration and mindset.
(Image: Sunday Mirror)
“These are independent actions but they are related and have a high correlation with sports performance. Any athlete needs to present a balance in these areas, in order to be able to maintain good levels of performance.
“We monitor his quality and quantity of sleep, body weight, level of muscle, and mental fatigue every day. We do training sessions in order to improve his movement quality and energy use during training and games.”.
