Brazilian midfielder Fabinho has been explaining how keen he was to make the switch to Liverpool last year.
The 25-year-old was signed by Reds’ boss Jürgen Klopp from Monaco for £39million during the 2018 summer transfer window and despite a slow start, he has established himself as a regular and his performances continue to see him receive rave reviews.
West Ham star Declan Rice recently described him as the best deep-lying midfielder in world football while his manager says he is without question “a very smart footballer”. Often referred to as mix of Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso, Fabinho is a key member of Klopp’s squad.
Commenting on his desire to play for Liverpool and the time it admittedly took him to adapt, Fabinho told the official Liverpool FC match-day programme: “After five seasons at Monaco I knew it was the right time to leave, to look for the step-up in my career. I wanted to sign for a big club.
“I had no doubt that I wanted to come to Liverpool, so much so that when the transfer window opened, the deal was immediately made official.
“It really is a huge club, one of the biggest in the world. The club has great ambition and that is what I wanted in my career, so I’m very happy to be here.
“I knew that the move would require me to adapt: to a new training method, a new league, a new country completely different from the one I was used to.
“In the beginning I needed to be patient. I constantly looked to learn from the coaches and the players who’d been here longer. I also think it was important that were players from my country here who helped me to communicate.
“I needed to be patient at that time, but it was a good experience. Now after a year in Liverpool I feel I’ve adapted to the country, and I like the city. The league is excellent, for me the best in the world.
“So I needed to adapt but once you do, things become easier.”
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