We look at five players who might step in for Fabinho, who is expected to depart Liverpool and become the latest prominent name to join the Saudi Pro League
Liverpool are in a predicament as Fabinho approaches a deal to Saudi Pro League team Al Ittihad.
The Brazilian joined Liverpool from AS Monaco in 2018 and has since played 219 times for the club, earning the nicknames ‘Dyson’ and ‘The Lighthouse’ for his ability to read play and spring counter-attacks. Fabinho has helped the team win every major award they have contended for in five years on Merseyside.
However, his time etching himself into the fabric of the club’s history appears to be drawing to an end, as Anfield authorities are mulling over a £40m bid, while the player himself has not travelled with the 32-man team to Germany to resume pre-season training.
This raises many questions about what Liverpool will do in the 30-day span between now and the first Premier League match of the season away to Chelsea.
This summer, the Reds have already spent £95 million on two midfielders, Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai. These are more attacking possibilities, but if Fabinho leaves in the next days, it will be critical to quickly find a replacement with defensive talents in midfield.
So far, the Reds’ contacts to young talent have been limited, so it will be intriguing to see how Jurgen Klopp shifts attention to anyone more ready-made ahead of a vital season.
This transaction also comes at a difficult time, as two of the English Premier League’s top defensive midfielders, Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, have signed for Arsenal and are due to join Chelsea, respectively. So, based on market players and the Fbref.com database, here are five candidates to replace Fabinho in the Liverpool squad:
Mr. Romeo Lavia
So far this summer, the 19-year-old has been linked more than any other defensive midfielder. During Southampton’s relegation season in 2022/23, he had a personally successful breakout, making 29 Premier League matches.
His age and experience, according to the ECHO, would not be a hindrance to his prospective development into Liverpool’s squad.
The foundations are definitely in place for Klopp to replicate his Fabinho project with Lavia, based on the Belgian’s ability to convert defense into attack.
Lavia had 22 progressive carries of the ball last season, 21 of which entered the opponent’s defensive third. Fabinho, on the other hand, only had 15.
Although it might be said that the Liverpool midfielder is better known for his passing range, which Lavia trails but is not far behind.
Lavia completed 86.2% of his passes, while Fabinho completed 88.3%. However, when it comes to long-distance passes (30+ yards), the tables are turned. Lavia outperformed Fabinho with a success rate of 73.1%.
Kone, Manu
Another target mentioned earlier this summer, Borussia Monchengladbach’s Kone, is one of Europe’s most promising possibilities at this position.
The Frenchman has a similar allure in terms of moving the ball forward, with 166 progressive passes in 2022/23, five more than Fabinho. Kone also had 74 tackles to 65 for the game.
The main disadvantage of any move for the 22-year-old is that due to an injury acquired prior to France’s withdrawal from the European Under-2 Championship last month, he would not be able to play until the beginning of August. Klopp already has too many problems of this type, with Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago on the mend.
Palhinha, Joao
Moving into the ready-made category, Fulham’s midfield general is an intriguing proposition for Klopp to consider.
Since moving from Lisbon to London, the Portugal international has impressed as his team defied the odds to keep their Premier League position. He had a significant role in this, which is the first reason he is an outstanding and proven prospect for Liverpool.
Palhinha averaged 34.5 90-minute matches in his first season in England, outperforming Fabinho, who averaged 29.7. If the club is to return to the elite of English football, availability will be key.
Fulham’s midfielder also nearly doubled Fabinho’s tackles-per-90-minutes average, finishing 4.26 to 2.19.
Wilfried Ndidi’s
Granted, the Leicester City midfielder is an outside choice, but with six years of Premier League experience, he just cannot be dismissed. Furthermore, he is still only 26 years old.
Ndidi was a key piece in Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester teams that qualified for Europe and won the FA Cup, and he was frequently likened to Fabinho at the era.
Last season, the duo almost matched each other in combined tackles and interceptions, with Fabinho’s total slightly topping Ndidi’s 99. In addition, the Nigerian completed 48 clearances.
That being said, the most unappealing feature of his game is his rate of errors resulting to opposition shots, which leads this list by a country mile with three in 27 outings.
Tchouameni, Aurelien
The Real Madrid midfielder has been saved until last for a purpose. No, he’s not on the ready-made list, but he does appear to be untouchable.
Tchouameni is said to be wanted by Real Madrid, according to reports. Still, it’s worth noting how ideal a candidate he would be to fill the void left by Fabinho’s departure.
To begin with, he had the highest attacking returns on this shortlist, with four assists. This despite only appearing 24 times, compared to 35 for Palhinha and 31 for Fabinho.
His pass completion rate is 92.8%, and he has the most shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, averaging 2.67.
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