It was a signing that took all by surprise. On Monday evening, French journalists reported that Manchester United target Fabinho was on the cusp of a move to Liverpool, which was quickly picked up by the English press. By 9pm, the Reds had confirmed the Brazilian’s arrival from Monaco.
The player suggested that talks had been ongoing for the best part of three weeks, which merely highlights just how secretive the deal ultimately was. The big winner is of course Liverpool, who have already announced the signing of Naby Keita from RB Leipzig. You get the impression that Saturday’s Champions League final loss wasn’t the end of a cycle, but merely the beginning of something better.
There is a very good reason Fabinho was linked with moves to United and PSG last summer, only for Monaco to reject the advances of the pair. The Brazilian, to some, struggled for his best form as the Ligue 1 side faltered following the departures of Benjamin Mendy, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Bernardo Silva and Kylian Mbappe, but Fabinho still returned a WhoScored.com rating of 7.51.
His 114 tackles was the third best return in France’s top tier last term to reinforce a statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of ‘tackling’. Importantly, though, is that Fabinho is an upgrade on the holding options Jurgen Klopp currently has at his disposal. Jordan Henderson may be a fine passer of the ball, but lacks the defensive discipline to take his, and Liverpool's, game to the next level, particularly in Klopp’s favoured 4-3-3 formation.
Two of the three midfielders in the system look to push forward and supplement the attack, which, without a designated ball winner, leaves the Reds vulnerable at the back. Henderson didn’t necessarily disappoint, as returns of 1.9 tackles and 1.1 tackles per game suggests, but Fabinho simply carries out his defensive duties to a higher standard as 3.4 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game highlights.
Not only that, but Klopp has acquired a player whose penalty taking expertise will be a handy addition to the squad. Fabinho has scored more penalties (17) than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues since the start of the 2015/16 season. His spot kick conversion rate over that period is 100%, with that Brazilian lethal from 12 yards, while his versatility is an added bonus for the Merseyside giants.
Previously a right-back, Fabinho still has the defensive means to play the role when required, though Klopp isn’t short of options here, with the German able to call upon Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez and Nathaniel Clyne, so it would take a major injury crisis for the new arrival to start in the position. His capture is also likely to signal the end of Emre Can’s career at Anfield, with the German set to leave on a free this summer, but Liverpool have acted swiftly to cover his impending exit, which won’t leave them short in the middle of the park as the season nears.
All in all, Fabinho’s capture is an astute one for Liverpool and he immediately improves the starting XI. The midfielder increases the Reds’ chances of challenging for the Premier League title and brings with him the necessary experience that will help bring to an end the club’s wait for silverware.
