Fabinho joined the Reds in the summer of 2018 largely due to an influential role played by the midfielder’s national teammate Roberto Firmino, revealed Liverpool FC gaffer, Jurgen Klopp.
Despite top clubs across Europe reportedly in the race to sign Fabinho from his former club AS Monaco, the Brazillian international sealed a move to Anfield on a long-term deal.
In a recent interview, according to reports from the Daily Mail, Klopp admitted that the Manchester-based outfits were both amongst the number of sides wanting to sign Fabinho, however, the player ended up signing for the Merseysiders thanks to an important role played by Firmino, the former’s teammate in the national setup.
‘I could imagine that Man United and City were there as well. We just said what we had to say and what he will be for us,’ said Klopp.
‘I think the best help was probably Bobby (Firmino) who knew him. Philippe (Coutinho) knew him from the national team and loved Liverpool, so these types of things help a little bit more.
‘I couldn’t tell you what I said to him because it was too long ago but it was obviously convincing enough. I can picture in my mind when I met him first, he was a pretty shy boy and maybe thought it will be the best to be around a pretty vocal, loud manager.
‘That might have been the reason why he joined us.’
The transformation in Fabinho’s playing role on the pitch from a holding midfield presence to a makeshift central defender in Virgil van Dijk’s absence has been subject to numerous rounds of praise in recent months, with the 27-year-old partnering Joel Matip at the heart of the Liverpool FC backline to great success.
