Midfielder deal given boost as Liverpool set to seal Fabinho switch

With Jordan Henderson already pictured training with his new Al Ettifaq team-mates, he could soon be joined by ex-Liverpool colleague, Fabinho.

It seemed that a deal was dead in the water for the 29-year-old Brazilian as recently as Tuesday.

The Athletic (subscription required) reported that the deal was in jeopardy and wasn’t anything to do with a potential Saudi ban on the breed of dog the player kept, as had been reported elsewhere.

By Wednesday evening, however, The Times’ Paul Joyce tweeted that there was renewed hope that the deal would get done and talks had resumed.

Renewed expectation that Fabinho £40m move to Al Ittihad will go ahead after deal had stalled over payment terms to Liverpool. Talks started again. Liverpool first bid for Romeo Lavia was £34m plus £4m add ons and Southampton expecting another approach.

— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) July 26, 2023

Were that deal to conclude successfully, it opens up the possibility of the Reds committing more money to a second bid for Southampton’s sought after star, Romeo Lavia.

As Joyce also notes, the Saints are expecting another bid for the 19-year-old and, whilst it’s not clear if the two deals are linked in any way, clearly if Liverpool have one less player in the middle of the park, it makes their need to acquire Lavia that much more acute.

A tough Premier League start at Chelsea is followed by a home game against Bournemouth and then another tough away assignment at Newcastle.

Given the need for Jurgen Klopp to understand just who he has available over the course of the next couple of weeks and into the start of the new season, it’s imperative that any deals are agreed quickly.

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