Joao Palhinha transfer ticks every box for Liverpool bar one
Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp will be forced to alter their summer transfer plans should the expected exit of Fabinho go through.
On Saturday it was revealed that Fabinho was not on the plane to Germany with his team-mates for the pre-season training camp, instead taking a step out of the public eye while Liverpool negotiate a transfer to Al Ittihad, who submitted a bid somewhere in the region of £40m.
The defensive midfielder's role is one of beauty and precision with an air of fierceness to it, and along with a number of key additions to Klopp's ranks across 2018 and 2019, his arrival was a catalyst in transitioning the Reds from challengers to serial title-winners.
Still, all good things must come to an end, and even with a slight dip in form toward what appears the end of his Liverpool career, the hole left by Fabinho will be a difficult one to fill, especially in the current climate.
Fabinho and six senior Liverpool stars could still leave after transfer bombshells
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There may be an expansive list of potential candidates of a promising nature, but ready-made is what the Reds need as of now. This is why there is no option more interesting than the current Fulham pivot, Joao Palhinha.
Premier League experience - tick. Internationally capped - yes. Following on, the stats, via Fbref.com, speak for themselves.
Since his arrival in England last summer from boyhood club Sporting Lisbon, Palhinha was an integral part in a successful campaign that saw the Cottagers avoid top-flight relegation for the first time since the 2012/13 season. Playing on average 34.5 of the 38 league matches last year, this is the first attractive aspect of
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