Liverpool have received a major offer from Saudi Arabia for midfielder Fabinho and are considering whether to sell him.
The Brazil international, who has emerged as a £40m target for Al-Ittihad, has been withdrawn from Liverpool’s squad for their pre-season training camp in Germany to allow for his future to be resolved.
Fabinho, who did not refuse to travel to Germany, is now likely to leave and it means Liverpool will step up their search for a defensive midfielder.
The challenge for the Reds is how to best replace the former Premier League and Champions League winner, with WhoScored.com picking out six who would ease the 29-year-old’s Anfield depature.
Sofyan Amrabat - Fiorentina
Manchester United have been monitoring the Moroccan sensation, but could Liverpool sneak in and sign Sofyan Amrabat while Erik ten Hag’s side focus their efforts on a striker? Fiorentina are prepared to cash in on Amrabat this summer with the 26-year-old unwilling to extend a contract with the Viola that expires next year.
A handy ball winner having averaged 1.7 tackles per 90 and returned a modest tackle success rate of 75 per cent, Amrabat is a more than capable distributor, too. Indeed, of the 248 players to attempt 50+ long balls, only Stanislav Lobotka had a higher long ball success rate (81.2 per ceent) than Amrabat (79.8 per cent) in Serie A last season. With a rumoured €30m asking price set, Amrabat could prove a solid defensive shield to ease the loss of Fabinho.
Amrabat shined as Morocco reached the semi-finals of the World Cup— (Getty Images)
Florentino - Benfica
Benfica have already lost one key central midfielder this year, and they’ll be keen to avoid losing a second. The Eagles have proven they drive a hard bargain having forced Chelsea to pay Enzo Fernandez’s £127m release clause in January, and they’ll demand Florentino’s potential suitors do similar in order to sell.
The Portuguese ball winner ranked second for interceptions (2.7), third for tackles (3.5) and fourth for passes per 90 (77.9) in Liga Bwin last season, playing a key role in Benfica’s title triumph, so their desire to retain the 23-year-old’s services is understandable. Yet given the consistency when it comes to winning the ball and ability to successfully recycle possession, Florentino, while a little pricey, may well be viewed as Fabinho’s ideal replacement.
Cheick Doucoure - Crystal Palace
Cheick Doucoure enjoyed a solid if unspectacular debut Premier League season with Crystal Palace following his arrival from Lens last summer, yet this year of experience in England will certainly weigh in his favour. Like Florentino, Doucoure is only 23 years of age, so has plenty of time to develop his game accordingly.
The former Lens man put up decent numbers out of possession last season, ranking sixth for tackles and interceptions combined (133) in England’s top tier, and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp could certainly maximise this hard work off the ball in a key area of the pitch. Doucoure does need to work on his distribution, however, though a pass success rate of 83.6 per cent may have been down to playing in a Palace side that returned a possession average of 45.8 per cent, the seventh lowest. Put him in a side that would dominate the ball, and Doucoure would undoubtedly improve in this area.
Joao Palhinha - Fulham
Fulham struck gold with the capture of Joao Palhinha last summer, and the Cottagers are aware they can command a huge fee for the Portugal international were they to cash in this year. Palhinha was a ball winning machine for Marco Silva’s side in his debut Premier League campaign, ranking top for tackles and interceptions combined (193) as the west London side exceeded expectations to secure a top-half finish.
West Ham have also been linked with a move for the 28-year-old, though like Doucoure, Palhinha’s work on the ball needs fine tuning. Again, this could be down to playing in a Fulham side that sees little of the ball, and is an area to his game that would improve in a more dominant Liverpool outfit. That said, Liverpool would be unlikely to pursue a player his age in their midfield refresh.
Romeo Lavia - Southampton
Perhaps a better fit than Palhinha, Romeo Lavia’s performances in a Southampton shirt were a rare ray of sunshine in a gloomy campaign on the south coast. Unsurprisingly the young Belgian has been linked with an immediate Premier League return, with the Reds monitoring Lavia closely.
While not a holder in the mould of Florentino or Palhinha, Lavia offers something a little different when he does win the ball back. Able to drive the team upfield, Lavia’s versatility in the middle of the park would give Jurgen Klopp some much-needed tactical flexibility in a key position. The teen is a diamond in the rough, but with the right polishing, would be well on his way to superstardom.
Kalvin Phillips - Manchester City
Admittedly a left-field choice for Liverpool, Manchester City may be prepared to cash in on Kalvin Phillips if they receive the right offer for the England international. The Reds have been linked with a move for the 27-year-old, but City would want to see a return on the fee they paid Leeds 12 months ago to bring Phillips to the Etihad Stadium.
Injuries really impacted Phillips’ debut season for the European champions, but even when fit; playing time was hard to come by, though that shouldn’t come as a shock with Rodri ahead of the ex-Leeds man in the pecking order. Having turned down the chance to sign Phillips last summer, Jurgen Klopp could now look to the City star as the man to succeed Fabinho.
