Fabinho travels with the captain from Liverpool to Saudi Arabia.
Liverpool has lost another midfielder to the Saudi Pro League, with Brazilian Fabinho joining Al-Ittihad, the team that already includes Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante.
Fabinho left Liverpool for a reported 40 million pounds ($A76m) to terminate his five-year tenure at the club he joined from Monaco.
His departure comes just a week after Jordan Henderson left Merseyside after 12 years to join Al-Ettifaq, another Saudi club. After his contract with the Reds expired, Roberto Firmino also relocated to the oil-rich nation.
His departure comes just a week after Jordan Henderson left Merseyside after 12 years to join Al-Ettifaq, another Saudi club. After his contract with the Reds expired, Roberto Firmino also relocated to the oil-rich nation.
By recruiting some of the world’s best players, the Saudi league seeks to boost the profile of soccer in the nation. In December, Cristiano Ronaldo relocated to Al-Nassr.
Fabinho, 29, made 219 appearances for Liverpool, helping the club win the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League the following year.
Following a slump in form, Fabinho was not always a regular for Liverpool last season. Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp has restructured his midfield by bringing in Argentina’s Alexis MacAllister and Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai, and the club is now looking for a holding midfielder to replace Fabinho.
“It’s been five years wearing this jersey, and I’ve always done so with the greatest honour and happiness possible,” Fabinho wrote on social media.
“I’ve been welcomed by everyone in Liverpool since day one.” What I saw within this club, the relationships among the members, made me feel like a member of the family. In these five years, I evolved as a player and as a man, and I realized my dreams.”
