Fabinho is on the verge of ending his five-year stay at Liverpool as the Brazilian is set to move to Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad and Liverpool journalist Neil Jones believes it leaves a lot of questions to be answered at the Merseyside club.
Fabinho’s departure has not been officially confirmed as of now but personal terms have been agreed and there is also an agreement in place between the two clubs to sell the 29-year-old for £40m.
The Brazil international has been a key member of Jurgen Klopp’s team throughout his successful reign at Anfield and according to Neil Jones, it is a player the German coach was not expected to lose heading into the new campaign.
The Liverpool journalist states that it leaves the Reds with a lot of questions to answer and that they need someone who can step into the role right away.
Writing in his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, Jones states that Fabinho’s departure is a huge blow to Liverpool and it leaves a lot of questions ahead of the start of the season.
“The news of Fabinho closing in on a move to Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad is a huge blow – it’s not done yet, but things have moved fast in the last few days and I think he’s not someone Liverpool were expecting to lose,” Jones wrote.
“In twelve months’ time, it might have been a different conversation, but this wasn’t a departure they were planning for this summer, so it leaves a lot of questions ahead of the start of the season.”
The journalist continued by saying: “The question now for Liverpool is what strategy they take to rebuilding their midfield – do they want a player like Fabinho? Or do they maybe want a more technical, progressive passing sort of player? And do they want a younger player like Romeo Lavia, who we know has been a target, or do they go for someone more experienced now that such a proven figure is leaving? Do they maybe move Trent Alexander-Arnold into midfield and look to strengthen with a new right-back?
“There’ll be a lot of questions for Liverpool to answer in the transfer market, and I personally think they really have to find someone who can step into that role and do it from the word go, Fabinho’s that important to the team. He’s a real specialist in that role, not someone you’d call an all-rounder in midfield, but he does that job to a really high level. It’s a huge blow and it leaves Liverpool with a lot to do.”