Manchester United midfielder Fred has opened up on his strong relationship with Liverpool's Brazilian trio of Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino.
The latter is of course leaving Liverpool this summer after eight years at the club and will no doubt be missed by his Reds team-mates, particularly those from his home country.
As has been the case with other South American players at the club in years gone by, such as Luis Suarez and Lucas Leiva, strong bonds are often formed both on and off the pitch. No different in the case of the Reds' current Samba trio, this close relationship extends to an individual from a rival team.
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Indeed, Fred has shed light on his close links to the Brazilians representing Liverpool and has revealed he frequently spends time with Alisson, Fabinho and Firmino. "It's so beneficial to have a group of Brazilian players in the Liverpool and Manchester area," he explained to FourFourTwo on having compatriots close by.
The 30-year-old added: "Whenever possible, we hang out and relax. I have a great relationship with Fernandinho - sadly he went back to Brazil last summer, but I'm very happy to see him getting more minutes again.
"I'm good mates with Ederson, Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino. Sometimes we go to church together. Our wives get along well, too, so we often meet up either for a quick coffee or for a barbecue. We always used to go over to Fernandinho's house; now it can be at Alisson's or Ederson's.
"Regardless of the place, we like spending time together, which is important when a big part of our families is back in South America. This small Samba community that we've created helps us all cope with the long distance from loved ones in Brazil."
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