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Pep Guardiola is certain to land Fred in the summer, according to the Brazilian’s former manager.

Manchester City were determined to sign the Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder last month - but switched their attentions to Riyad Mahrez on transfer deadline day.

Guardiola still sees the 24-year-old as the long-term successor to Fernandinho and intends to go back in for him at the end of the season.

And former Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu insists the deal will happen.

“Shakhtar Donetsk’s best player is Fred in the centre of midfield,” he said. “He was a bit anarchic on the left. I moved him in front of the defence.

“He will go to City like Fernandinho before him.”

Guardiola plans to spend heavily again this summer, with a dominant midfielder among his priorities.

He will also add to his attacking line up after missing out on Alexis Sanchez and Mahrez in January.

City refused to meet Leicester’s £95m price tag for Mahrez - and it remains to be seen if they could be brought back to the table if the Algerian becomes available for closer to their own valuation of around £60m.

Guardiola will also have longer to come up with alternative targets between now and the end of the season, with Juventus’ Paulo Dybala increasingly linked with a move to the Etihad.