Report: Liverpool has signed stock city midfielder who capity is more than Roberto €250m rated

Report: Liverpool has signed stock city midfielder who capity is more than Roberto €250m rated

Liverpool have reportedly received a transfer offer for Fabinho, with the midfielder expected to make the move to Saudi Arabia amid interest from Al-Ittihad.

According to the Independent, the 29-year-old Brazilian is inching closer to a move to the Middle East with a bid now being made for Fabinho, who has not travelled with Liverpool’s squad to Germany this weekend for the first leg of their pre-season tour.

As per the report, Al-Ittihad have shown major interest in the former AS Monaco star, with Liverpool open to selling the South American for £40m, a deal that would represent incredible value in the market for the Reds as they look to rebuild their squad this summer.

Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Lauded by Jurgen Klopp as an ‘outstanding’ player, Fabinho endured his worst season in Liverpool colours last season as the Anfield side missed out on top-four. And although the midfielder could have been key for the Reds in the upcoming campaign, this offer from Saudi Arabia is simply too good to turn down.

Indeed, Liverpool know that they can invest in the midfield if Fabinho makes the move to the Middle East with Al-Ittihad. And this latest update seems to indicate that a transfer could now be days away from being completed.

Liverpool have done incredibly well to sell Fabinho this summerPhoto by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images

Nobody could have foreseen Saudi Arabia becoming a player in the transfer market this summer, and for Liverpool, selling Fabinho for a fee believed to be as much as £40m is quite astonishing, with the deal something that could help the Reds a lot in the long-term.

As we know, Fabinho’s replacement was due to be signing this summer, and with Al-Ittihad now making Liverpool’s job a little bit easier both in terms of financial and squad logistics, the Reds can move forward with their plan to evolve the team even further this window.

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When Liverpool played against 3 different goalkeepers in 1 game
Playing against two different goalkeepers in one game is not that unusual, but coming up against three certainly is – as Liverpool experienced in 1982.

Let’s set the scene. The year is 1982, the Reds are reigning First Division and League Cup champions and under the tutelage of Bob Paisley.

Liverpool have won three of their opening four league games of the 1982/83 season and it is now time for Luton Town to make a visit to Anfield for the first time since 1974.

The Hatters ended their seven-year exile from the topflight after finishing top of the Second Division the season prior, and their return would not be without notable headlines.

And three goalkeepers in 90 minutes certainly was one of them.

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While Bruce Grobbelaar was a permanent fixture in Liverpool’s goal, Luton were not so fortunate at Anfield in September 1982 – yet the result would speak otherwise.

Jake Findlay was the Hatters’ No. 1 and was named in David Pleat’s starting lineup (goalkeeper number one), but stayed on the field of play for only 38 minutes before being forced off by a chest injury.

Graeme Souness had only just scored for the Reds, with a splendid volley, to make it 1-1, but Findlay could not continue and Luton turned to full-back Kirk Stephens (goalkeeper number two).

The Kop quickly greeted him in goal with, ‘There’s only one Shakin’ Stevens’.

If you are wondering why they did not just turn to another goalkeeper from the bench, at that time you could only make one substitution in a game and a ‘keeper was not among the options – this would only change in 1987.

Merely minutes after Stephens assumed the role, Ian Rush fired into an empty net after the Luton man raced off his line, 2-1 to Liverpool and the sense was the dam wall could break in favour of the Reds.

It was not quite the case. At half-time, centre-back Mal Donaghy (goalkeeper number three) donned the No. 1 as Stephens moved back into his outfield position.

Notably, both makeshift ‘keepers wore a Liverpool shirt as Findlay never passed his on after his injury – this match was certainly not short on moments that would go ‘viral’ in present day.

Incredibly, despite the Reds having the likes of Rush, Kenny Dalglish and Souness to capitalise on Luton‘s misfortune, it was the visitors who scored twice in 10 second-half minutes to make it 2-3.

Donaghy had been growing increasingly hopeful of avoiding the same fate as Findlay and Stephens, and he may have done had Paisley not turned to Craig Johnston, who scored the equaliser with 15 minutes left.

Luton were admirable in their fight and left Anfield with the respect from the stands and their counterparts after it finished 3-3.

To sum it all up, Luton fielded three different goalkeepers (only one was, in fact, a ‘keeper by trade), two had to wear a Liverpool kit and they each conceded one goal.

And yet at the end of the 90 minutes, the scoreboard read 3-3. Football, eh?

liverpoolecho.co.uk
Thomas Tuchel gives blunt answer about Sadio Mane’s performance since Liverpool transfer
Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel has sidestepped questions over the possible exit of Liverpool icon Sadio Mane – but has admitted his performances have been “unsatisfactory.”

Mane is facing intense scrutiny over his future after just one season in Bavaria following a disappointing debut campaign. A leg injury hampered his progress with Bayern and he failed to reach the levels he managed at Anfield before a bust-up with team-mate Leroy Sane landed him in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

The Senegal star was suspended and fined and while he returned to the squad as Munich won the Bundesliga once more, his career at the club appears to be on a knife edge. Tuchel’s team are in hot pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur and England captain Harry Kane as he enters the final year of his contract in north London.

German media have reported in recent weeks that Bayern would be willing to sell Mane with the funds from his sale being added to their budget to land Kane.

READ MORE: Liverpool turn to new transfer targets as Jurgen Klopp handed fresh Saudi Arabia headache

READ MORE: Jordan Henderson and Thiago train but Fabinho absent as special guest joins Liverpool pre-season camp

“Sadio has played an unsatisfactory season and has not lived up to expectations. The competitive situation is extreme for him,” Tuchel said of Mane, who scored 12 goals in 38 games for Bayern last season.

“We have a constellation that makes it very difficult for him. The player knows that too. He knows my opinion and the opinion of the club. He has a contract and wants to stay and we respect that. But today is the first day of training and a lot can happen in football.”

Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness, meanwhile, has revealed that Kane has made it clear that he wants to join the German champions/ He said: “Harry Kane has clearly signalled in all conversations that his decision stands – and if he keeps to his word, then we’ll get him, because then Tottenham will have to buckle.

“Karl-Heinz Rummenigge regularly (speaks to Kane) and also Jan-Christian Dreesen and everyone who is now really active in the business. (Daniel) Levy is clever, he doesn’t name a number. First we have to get him to name a number.

“(Kane) wants to play internationally and luckily for us Tottenham will not be active internationally next year. He now has another opportunity to come to a top club in Europe. What we all like: his advisors are also very pleasant in this case. Up to now, the father and the brother have always stood by what they promised. If it stays that way, that’s okay.”

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