Jurgen Klopp had some phenomenal players during his time as Liverpool manager. The German boss built a side that ultimately conquered both English and European football, dominating for years and coming close to more than the one Premier League title they won.
Of course, the three attackers, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane, were the main men. Between them, they scored 442 goals throughout Klopp’s tenure as Reds boss. They were simply devastating.
Full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson chipped in with 80 and 65 assists respectively, and Virgil van Dijk became a key player, making 270 appearances under Klopp. Another unsung hero of that squad was Fabinho.
Fabinho’s record at Liverpool
When you think of the best defensive midfielders in the last few years in the Premier League, names like Rodri and Declan Rice might spring to mind. However, the impact that Fabinho had on Liverpool during their prime years under Klopp cannot be understated.
He played 219 times in that famous Red shirt, an absolute staple at the base of the Merseysiders’ midfield. He was also prone to a goal, scoring 11 times throughout his time at Anfield, with the best of the bunch coming against Manchester City in a 3-1 win. He rifled a shot from the edge of the penalty box past City goalkeeper Ederson to put his side one up.
Fabinho did the dirty work in that successful Liverpool team. He was the fulcrum of the side in many ways, crucial in breaking up play and springing quick counterattacks. That is shown by the stats on Sofascore, with Fabinho winning 3.2 ground duels per game in the 2019/20 title-winning season.
In September 2019, Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher explained he thought the Brazilian is “the best in the Premier League now in that position”. Given the Reds had a title-winning campaign, it is not hard to see why he made such a claim.
This season, Liverpool are in another title race, and a player like Fabinho could be key for Arne Slot to help get his side over the line. They have been linked with someone who could be their own version of the defensive midfielder ahead of the January transfer window.
Liverpool could sign Slot’s own Fabinho
The player in question here is Atalanta midfielder Ederson. According to one Brazilian news outlet last week, the Reds are believed to be ‘keeping an eye’ on the 25-year-old. He is also a target for Manchester United, City and Real Madrid, and could cost upwards of £50m, as per Florian Plettenberg.
The Brazil international has been a key player for Atalanta, playing 23 times in all competitions, including 17 appearances in Serie A. This has been a hugely successful season so far for La Dea, who sit top of the Italian top flight, following on well from their impressive Europa League win last term.
There are certainly similarities between Ederson and Fabinho, not least because they are both Brazilian defensive midfielders. The “high energy midfielder”, as football analyst Ben Mattinson described the Atalanta man, is also someone who will relentlessly do the dirty work.
Their similarities can be further emphasised by looking at the FBref stats from Fabinho’s title-winning season in 2019/20 and Ederson last season. Defensively, the pair are similar, with the former Liverpool man averaging 4.16 tackles and interceptions per game and the Atalanta man 3.89.
Another thing Slot will get should the Reds sign Ederson, which was also an underrated part of Fabinho’s game, is progression. The 30-year-old averaged 5.58 progressive passes per game under Klopp in the title-winning season, with the Liverpool target last term averaging 6.71.
Tackles and interceptions
3.89
4.16
Blocks
1.5
1.08
Ball recoveries
5.89
6.8
Progressive passes
6.71
5.58
Passes into final third
5.64
5.58
The similarities are there to see. Liverpool would be adding a natural defensive midfielder to the squad, and whilst Ryan Gravenberch has been “first-class” according to Peter Crouch, they may get a better version of him, too. The addition of Ederson would allow the Dutchman more chance to roam higher up the pitch.
Of course, £50m is a big investment in January, but this could be a signing to spur the Reds on and help them win the league. They have never been able to replace Fabinho, but perhaps Slot could have his very own version in what could be a historic season at Anfield.
Liverpool could lose "world-class" star to Spurs in awful Sterling repeat
Tottenham could be interested in signing one of Liverpool’s key players in 2025.
1 ByAngus Sinclair Dec 23, 2024
