It appears that Fabinho’s tenure at Liverpool may soon be coming to an end after many years of service. Despite being unexpected, his move to Saudi Arabia perhaps couldn’t have come at a better time for Liverpool.
The Brazilian wasn’t quite himself last season, and given that he will turn 30 later this year, it’s completely probable that Fabinho has already begun the natural decline that eventually affects every player in professional football.
It is obvious that Fabinho cannot be relied upon as a long-term option as Liverpool develops for the future. Liverpool, however, is also in a precarious position.
The kind of performances that Fabinho has been capable of over the past few seasons are hard to find among young players on this summer’s market. Anyone who joins the club will need time to grow and won’t be able to solve the club’s problems right away.
By bringing in a young, high-potential player like Roméo Lavia, who will be looked at as a long-term solution, Liverpool might move on to address that issue. But in addition to Lavia, it should try to sign a more seasoned player to step in as Fabinho’s immediate successor.
Stanislav Lobotka of Napoli is one of the best choices available in world football if that’s how Liverpool decides to handle the situation.
The 28-year-old international from Slovakia just had his greatest Serie A season to date, contributing to Napoli’s scudetto victory.
Lobotka would be a fantastic choice for Liverpool and has been on the club’s radar earlier this year. He is a traditional midfielder destroyer who is also graceful on the ball and reads the game exceptionally well.
If the rumors from back in March about Liverpool’s interest in a $56 million (£43 million/€50 million) transfer for Lobotka are accurate, Liverpool would be well to rekindle that interest.
The Slovakian international might serve as Lavia and Fabinho’s ideal Fabinho bridge. He is someone who is prepared to go in right away and have an influence while letting Lavia grow and without putting too much pressure on him too soon.
Lobotka possesses the technical ability to succeed in Jürgen Klopp’s system and the mobility to cover a lot of territory. Liverpool’s only obstacle is the price Napoli would demand for him and whether the Italian powerhouses would be willing to let him leave.
However, given that Napoli allowed Kim-min Jae to move on to Bayern Munich this summer and that Liverpool would likely make around $52 million (£40 million/€46.5 million) from the sale of Fabinho, as first reported by David Ornstein of The Athletic, perhaps neither would be a barrier.
In order to secure the team’s immediate future at Anfield for the upcoming season, investing in Lobotka this summer might well make sense for Liverpool. This will provide a younger prospect (perhaps Lavia) plenty of time to adjust before the start of the season.
