Manchester City are monitoring Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred ahead of a possible move in the summer, sources have told ESPN FC.
City boss Pep Guardiola was impressed by the 24-year-old when the two clubs met earlier this season in Champions League group stage play.
Fred is capable of playing as holding midfielder and City are expected to add another player in that position in the summer with Yaya Toure out of contract at the end of the season.
Fellow defensive midfielder Fernandinho's current deal also runs out at the summer, but ESPN has been told that the Brazilian is set to sign a new deal.
ESPN FC has been told that Guardiola was impressed by Fred's performances in both the 2-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium in September and the 2-1 win in Ukraine earlier this month.
Fred also has six caps for Brazil but has not played for the Selecao since June 2015 although he was an unused substitute for World Cup qualifiers in October.
He was banned in 2016 after testing positive for the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide at the Copa America in Chile.