Marcos Antonio will be stronger than Fred

- We have been watching Marcos for a long while. About a year ago, when he used to play for Athletico Paranaense, we started negotiating about his acquisition. Unfortunately, we didn’t reach an agreement and took a break. Over time, he moved to Estoril. We contacted the club and reached an agreement: we signed a contract, having secured the conditions that satisfied us. When we followed Marcos, many scouts and experts said that he is about Fred's level. We hope that he will really achieve it and will get even stronger. In the winter, he played in the South American Championship and was the only Brazilian making it into the competition’s select team. According to the same experts, his current value is much higher than what we paid. I hope he will progress very seriously and get stronger with each passing year.
 
- Did Shakhtar have any competitors?
- I only know that during the tournament in South America, Barcelona, Real, and Manchester City got in touch with his agent and his club in order to clarify his ownership. They didn’t contact us, because when our name appeared, they understood that it was difficult to negotiate with us, and they took a step back.
 
- How do you see the future of Marcos Antonio in a Shakhtar shirt?
- We all expect that he’s got a great future - not only with the club but also with Brazil national team. I hope that in the near future - in a year or two - he will be in the national team. Again, to make it easier to compare: I’m sure that at Shakhtar he will reach the level of Fred and will get stronger because that’s a certain standard for us.