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Given that Fabinho’s brilliant five-year career at Liverpool is likely to come to an end after Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad submitted a £40m bid for the midfielder, Jurgen Klopp’s side will be forced to return to the market in search of a suitable replacement.
Although the 29-year-old Brazilian has struggled to get fit for the past 18 months and such a sum would allow the Reds to recoup almost all the expenses they made to sign the AS Monaco midfielder in the summer of 2018, looking for a person who will be able to reflect Fabinho’s degrees, his first 3 years at the club will be difficult.
And even more so after Declan Rice sealed a £105m transfer to Arsenal at the end of last week and Moises Caicedo heads to Chelsea. That means there are very few top-tier features for the Reds.
Days after Fabinho’s departure to Anfield, Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat and Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips were discussed as possible successors to the 29-year-old. Turning 28 before the end of the year, it’s hard to see Liverpool, who in the past have moved away from ties with the former Leeds player, interested in a deal for the England international.
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Meanwhile, Amrabat’s lack of fun at the height of the European game before he turns 27 later this year makes it difficult to explain why with his case as a number 6 set for Liverpool’s return to England’s smartest level and European play.
However, one call that has been tentatively linked to a move to Merseyside in recent months is that of Florentino Luis from Benfica. Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder Claude Makelele.
Luis of late exerts his industry in the Primeira Liga de Portugal, which is a domain that Liverpool have extensively explored in recent years under the influence of former sporting director Julian Ward. Portuguese Football Federation in 2008 before being appointed Liverpool’s Director of European Tests for the Spanish and Portuguese regions in 2012.
Through those positions, Ward was able to use his connections in that part of the world to assist in Liverpool’s swift chases against FC Porto’s Luis Diaz in January 2022 and Benfica’s Darwin Nunez five months later.
After Enzo Fernandez left the Lisbon-based giants earlier this year in a record move from the Premier League to Chelsea, Luis appears to be the newest member of Roger Schmidt’s team destined to move around the continent.
Luis, 23, is yet to identify with Portugal’s national team, despite rising to fame with Benfica in the 2022/23 season. The midfielder is an omnipresent figure in the Eagles’ run for the Champions League quarterfinals, which saw top European heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus at the top of Group H.
The 2023/24 Premier League season is fast approaching and Liverpool are hoping to be back in contention for the most sensitive spot.
Before the action began, ECHO put together a definitive 48-page consultant to delve into Liverpool’s new signings and how they are most likely to be used through Klopp. Reds in 2023/24, as well as club-to-club consultant for the other 19 Premier League teams.
This special pre-season will offer £3 prices and will go on sale from July 26, but lately it can be booked with fast delivery from that date. Worldwide shipping is available.
To position your order and be aware of the upcoming season, please click here.
Speaking about his talents earlier this year, Benfica’s former youth coach Joao Tralhao said: “Technically speaking, it’s not easy to find a midfielder with the defensive qualities he has. He used to joke with him and say that he watched the game two seconds before. It’s amazing how many interceptions he makes, how he can be in the right position all the time.
“He’s in the right area to get the ball back and he’s ahead a lot in terms of duels, using his body, protecting the ball to the touch, et cetera. “
While acting like something akin to a human vacuum cleaner versus the back four, maximum in a 4-2-3-1 system, it was not Luis’ only technique to carve out a reputation as one of Portugal’s most exciting stars. In fact, according to Fbref, Benfica’s No. 61 averaged 7 assists for 90 last season, which was second only to Trent Alexander-Arnold (7. 23), Jordan Henderson (8. 22) and Thiago Alcantara (8. 63) in Liverpool’s Premier League team. For comparison, Fabinho averaged just 5. 42.
But with Fabinho’s departure expected to be signed in the short or long term after the midfielder stayed at Merseyside rather than heading to Liverpool’s educational camp in the Black Forest, the new Jorg Schmadtke will be able to earn his corn as he searches for a long-term replacement. .
Still, after the midfielder signed a new long-term contract at the Estadio da Luz until 2027 last October, Liverpool would have to come up with a lot of cash to convince one of the continent’s strictest distributors to do business first. Window finish.
But one thing that is up for debate is that Liverpool now face an unforeseen summer rebuilding moment if they want to rub shoulders with Manchester City again in the more sensible part of the Premier League and you can’t cut any corners if they are. to upgrade one of today’s Anfield greats in Fabinho.