FABINHO’S £40 million move to Saudi club Al-Ittihad may be jeopardized due to his pet canines.
The strange snag in the transfer comes after it was revealed that French bulldozers are prohibited in Saudi Arabia.
Fabinho and his wife have two French bulldogs, and the midfielder wants to know if he can bring his two cherished pets into the country before finalising a deal.
According to a leaked Saudi Arabian document circulating on Twitter, the breed is prohibited in the kingdom due to being on a list of “dangerous and aggressive” canines.
However, the list can be avoided if the dogs are to be used for hunting, as security dogs, or as seeing dogs for the blind.
Fabinho is said to be willing to back out of the contract if his canines are not allowed to accompany him to Saudi Arabia, with rumors suggesting the deal is on the verge of collapsing owing to the odd issue.
This comes after Al-Ittihad offered Fabinho a weekly salary of £425,000 to join the team.
The midfielder’s current salary at Liverpool is £180,000 per week.
Al-Ittihad is eager to move forward with a contract and was in London this weekend to reach an agreement with all stakeholders.
If a dog allowance is granted, Fabinho will become the club’s latest high-profile signing.
So far, the Saudi champions have signed Ballon D’or winner Karim Benzema and Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante.
Last month, they also signed Celtic midfielder Jota.
Fabinho would be an additional coup for the team, having won the Champions League, league title, Carabao Cup, and FA Cup during his tenure at Liverpool.
Fabinho would be joined by Jordan Henderson in moving to Saudi Arabia, as the Reds undertake an unexpected midfield overhaul following lucrative bids from the Saudi League.
