Liverpool has a lot of business to do in the transfer market this summer but one Serie A bargain could be too difficult to resist and may solve an issue from this season.
Liverpool will likely need to be canny in the transfer market this summer to ensure that Jürgen Klopp’s squad gets the revamp it so desperately requires ahead of next season. Perhaps selling one midfield stalwart and replacing him with a younger, cheaper option could be an astute move.
One possible dilemma Klopp should be facing ahead of the upcoming transfer window is whether to cash in on midfield anchor Fabinho who has had an indifferent season in terms of form. The Brazilian was a mainstay in the German manager’s best Liverpool sides since signing from AS Monaco in 2018 but his drop-off this season has been alarming at times, looking completely off the pace this term.
Given he is probably still a sellable asset for the Reds with a valuation of $55m (£45m/€51m) according to Transfermarkt , they could be tempted into selling the 29-year-old if Klopp determines they have seen the best of the defensive midfielder. It is worth noting that Fabinho has played over 200 games in just four seasons at Anfield, with calculations from data analyst Rahul Iyer back in June demonstrating that at 29, Fabinho will have played more than a 35-year-old, even prior to turning out a further 37 times in all competitions so far this campaign.
With this in mind, links with Sofyan Amrabat of Fiorentina in the past week do make a lot of sense, with French outlet Footmercato claiming that Liverpool is to battlе it out with Premier League rivals Tottenham for his signature. The report went as far as saying that transfer talks had been opened with his agent about a move. Supporters may recognize Amrabat’s name after the midfielder played a starring role as Morocco defied the odds to make the semi-finals of the World Cup last year, with his all-action performances particularly catching the eye.
At 26 years old, it is clear that the holding midfielder is now ready to make the step up to a so-called elite club and, having entered the final 18 months of his current contract, perhaps a parting of ways would now suit all parties. Valued at a cut-price $27m (£22m/€25m) by Transfermarkt, it is likely that whoever wins the race for the Moroccan star could potentially get themselves something of a bargain.
Here lies the conundrum facing Klopp. Perhaps he will have more pressing concerns this summer such as replacing outgoing midfielders James Milner, Naby Keïta, Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain and Arthur Melo. However, this could well be the last chance for him to get a sizeable fee for Fabinho, who has shown rеal signs of decline this season, and secure a long-term replacement off the back of his sale.
In Amrabat, there is no doubt that he would secure a player who has been operating at a high level this season, with football statistics website FBref having Arsenal midfield anchor Jorginho listed as a player who Amrabat is most similar to based on his numbers this season. This is mainly due to the Fiorentina midfielder’s passing acumen, with the Moroccan in the top eight per cent of players in his position in the past year across Europe’s top five leagues for completed passes and the top 12 per cent for progressive passes.
It was at the World Cup, however, where Amrabat shone brightest, with a pass completion rating of 87 percent success rate, 33 recoveries and six interceptions, according to FIFA. Fabinho has been nicknamed ‘the lighthouse’ and ‘the hoover’ for Liverpool in recent years and there is no doubt that Amrabat fulfilled a similar role for his country on the biggest stage of all last winter.
Given the amount of business the Reds will likely have to tie up over the summer, it would not be a complete surprisе to see Klopp back the Brazilian to return to his best on a consistent basis. However, he may come to regret not taking a difficult but potentially rewarding decision for the long-term in replacing him while the 29-year-old can still command a sizable fee.