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Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
The 29-year-old Brazilian midfielder departs Liverpool in a deal reportedly worth £40M.
Fabinho Tavares’ days as a Liverpool player officially came to an end today when the 29-year-old Brazilian’s £40M transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad was confirmed by the club with an announcement video.
Fabinho signed for Liverpool in 2018 from Monaco for £43M and in his five seasons for the club made 219 total appearances and winning the Community Shield, Super Cup, League Cup, Club World Cup, FA Cup, and Premier League.
“Today I leave my home,” read a message from Fabinho following the announcement. “It’s been five years wearing this jersey and always with the greatest honor and happiness possible.
“Since day one at Liverpool, I’ve been embraced by everyone. What I saw inside this club, the relationship between the people there, made me feel like family. In these five years, I grew as a player, as a man, I made dreams come true.”
Fabinho was key to one of the best—perhaps the very best—Liverpool sides to ever take to a pitch, but for many this feels an unexpectedly early end, even if the player won everything he could have at the club.
After a disappointing 2022-23 for both the team and player, going into pre-season the plan was to seek out a young defensive midfielder to back him up in the hope that Fabinho could rediscover top form.
Instead, he heads to the Saudi Pro League on the back of his worst season in Red before he’s turned 30. It will be interesting then to see what comes next for Fabinho—or if this is a move akin to retirement.
