Fabinho talks turning his back on Real Madrid, the lure of Liverpool and why he must work to fit Jurgen Klopp’s mould

Fabinho became Liverpool's first summer signing as Jurgen Klopp overhauls his squad

A conversation with Fabinho that begins with two stories about perception and fact.

Part I: He was 19 years old when he signed for Castilla on loan, the team that represented Real Madrid in Spain’s second division. Before, he had been at Fluminense in Brazil then the Portuguese club, Rio Ave, where the coach was Nuno Espírito Santo, now in charge of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Few would have noticed from afar when, 18 months later and following just one first team appearance in Spain, there was another move – this time to Monaco. Those that did notice would have judged him as simply being another South American player that had tested himself too early at Europe’s most successful club and had ultimately failed to make a proper breakthrough. José Mourinho had been Real’s manager at the time.

Fabinho recalls the period differently. At the start of this summer, Liverpool completed his signing inside 48 hours of their Champions League final defeat in Kiev. He emerged as a mainstay in Monaco’s midfield under Leonardo Jardim, where he took over penalty kick responsibilities and won Ligue 1, despite the brooding presence of Paris Saint-Germain. It had been his decision to go there.

“When I went to Real Madrid I was only 18 or 19 years old,” he reasoned earlier this week, as his long limbs stretched out of a leather chair in one of the executive suites that overlooks Anfield. “It was my first year as a professional footballer. I was very young. I was told I would be playing for Real Madrid B, I did and it was very good at the time because the level of the quality in the second league is very good. It was very good for me as well. At the end of the season I had a meeting with the person in charge and I was told that for me to stay at Real Madrid I would have to play for Real Madrid B and I could move to the first team, or could remain in the B team. At the same time came the opportunity to move to Monaco, so I took that chance and I was very pleased with that and the way things developed for me at Monaco.

“When I went to Real Madrid, I had the good luck to have the experience of training with fantastic football players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Özil, Modrić,” he continued. “I also made my debut with the first team under the manager's guidance, and that was a fantastic experience because it was my first international experience as a football player and that taught me a lot as a football player. But now, coming to one of the top clubs in Europe like Liverpool, of course, I will carry on my learning and do my very best for this football club and hopefully things will work out for me and I will show what I am worth.”

There had been no other bid this summer for Fabinho. Knowing that Emre Can was leaving and knowing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would most probably be unavailable for the entire 2018/19 season, Liverpool moved quickest to sign him, with negotiations beginning before Oxlade-Chamberlain had been operated on.

(Liverpool FC (Liverpool FC)

Part II: Football is not a science and it is not exact. Plans are made and plans change. There can be multiple plans in case the first plan does not come off. And not everything is always planned absolutely. There are truths in processes even if they do not manifest into outcomes.

Fabinho’s advisors were told in 2017 that he would not be sold under any circumstances that summer despite enormous interest and numerous approaches from Europe’s leading clubs. He was never close to signing for Manchester United because like other clubs, they were informed that Monaco were not entertaining bids for the player due to the fact they were in the process of losing five of his teammates already. Manchester United soon heard that Nemanja Matić had been surprisingly made available and so, their priorities understandably shifted. This does not reflect badly on Manchester United.

With Liverpool, Fabinho puts it simply: “Everything went fast. Things worked out.” He seems like the sort of character Jürgen Klopp would like. Convincing in his recollections, forceful in his opinions and calm enough to admit he will need time to adjust to the new challenge of the Premier League while being wise in acknowledging that adjustment cannot last for too long.

In speaking to The Independent the following day, Klopp would highlight the area of his game that requires some focus. It relates to positioning. “We do it differently to Monaco,” Klopp would say. “You can push him into position but because it’s natural for him moments later he’s again deep…”

Klopp insists that his three midfielders thrust forward. The central figure – usually Jordan Henderson – is not encouraged to receive possession and regularly sits between the two central defenders like players with similar responsibilities do in other teams. Fabinho will have to perform with the sort of alertness and intensity as Henderson to have a chance of having the same impact as him. Klopp says he signed the Brazilian for the same reason he signed Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri. “We want players that we can change in the games: half time, 50 minutes, 60 minutes – whenever. ‘Come on, go…’ We want the same quality only fresher. A lot of games are decided in the last few minutes, that’s how it is. City were a lot of points ahead of us. How often did they win in the last few minutes? Much better than the other team but it’s 1-1…touchline, square pass – Sterling, 2-1. To be fresh in these moments is very important.”

In the past decade, Liverpool have not featured in that most lucrative market, where players are approaching their peak but bring with them the experience of winning titles and still wanting more. Fabinho scored against City when Monaco knocked them out of the Champions League two seasons ago. In Monaco, he played with Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy – two players that moved to City in the months after Monaco won Ligue 1.

When asked about Liverpool’s prospects, his confidence was impressive. “We have a very good team and we will be able to fight for the title,” he said. “I have just started with my teammates and I understand we have excellent players. We have an excellent manager and a very good group. I understand City are the champions and produced excellent football last season, but we will do our best to get the title from them and make everyone here is happy.”

He has discussed regularly with Silva, another Portuguese speaker, about what life is like in England. “Off the pitch we are very good friends, but on the pitch, it is a different story,” he warned.

One of the first people to congratulate Fabinho on his move to Liverpool was Kylian Mbappe – another former teammate at Monaco who has since become a World Cup winner with France: the new Pelé. It was difficult to tell whether what he said next about the teenager was a joke or a genuine statement but it did feel like more of a joke. “He has already said for the next season he will remain at PSG, but I will try slowly to convince him to come to Liverpool.” With that, Fabinho grinned slightly.