Jurgen Klopp has had some great players during his time Liverpool boss. The German coach built a team that eventually conquered English and European football, dominating for years and coming close to more than one. Premier League The title they won.
Naturally, the three strikers were Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane The main men. Between them, they scored 442 goals throughout Klopp's time as Reds manager. They were simply devastating.
Full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson provided 80 and 65 assists respectively, and Virgil van Dijk became a key player, making 270 appearances under Klopp. The other unsung hero in that squad was Fabinho.
Fabinho scored with Liverpool
When you think of the best defensive midfielders of the last few years in the Premier League, names like Rodri and Declan Rice may come to mind. However, Fabinho's influence on Liverpool during his early years under Klopp cannot be understated.
he Played 219 times In this famous red shirt, he is a key member of the Merseyside club's midfield. He was also prone to scoring, scoring 11 goals throughout his time at Anfield, the best of the bunch coming against Manchester City in a 3-1 win. He fired a shot from the edge of the penalty area past City goalkeeper Ederson to put his side ahead.
Fabinho did the dirty work in a successful Liverpool team. He was the fulcrum of the team in many ways, crucial in breaking down play and launching quick counter-attacks. Which is what appears from Statistics on Sofascorewith Fabinho winning 3.2 ground duels per match in the title-winning 2019/20 season.
In September 2019, Liverpool legend and Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher explained The Brazilian was thought to be “the best in the Premier League right now in that position”. Given that the Reds have won the Championship, it is not difficult to see why he would make such a claim.
This season, Liverpool are in another title race, and a player like Fabinho could be the key to it Arnie slot To help get his side across the line. They have been linked with someone who could be their own version of a defensive midfielder ahead of the January transfer window.
Liverpool could sign Slot's Fabinho
The player in question here is Atalanta midfielder Ederson. According to what was reported by a Brazilian media Last week, the Reds were believed to be 'monitoring' the 25-year-old. He is also a target for Manchester United, City and Real Madrid, and could be worth up to £50m. According to Florian Plettenberg.
The Brazilian international player was a key player in Atalanta, He played 23 times In all competitions, including 17 matches in the Italian League. This season has been very successful so far for La Dea, who Sitting at the top of the Italian Premier Leaguefollowing their impressive victory in the Europa League last season.
There are certainly similarities between Ederson and Fabinho, not least because they are both Brazilian defensive midfielders. “High-energy midfielder” As described by football analyst Ben Mattinson The Atalanta man is also someone who relentlessly does dirty work.
Their similarities can be further emphasized by looking FBref statistics From Fabinho's title-winning season in 2019/20 and Ederson's 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.
The other thing Slott would get if the Reds signed Ederson, who has also been an underrated part of Fabinho's game, is progress. The 30-year-old averaged 5.58 progressive passes per game under Klopp in the title-winning season, while last season Liverpool averaged 6.71 goal passes.
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Comparing Ederson and Fabinho's statistics |
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|---|---|---|
|
Statistics (per 90) |
Ederson (2023/24) |
Fabinho (2019/20) |
|
Interventions and objections |
3.89 |
4.16 |
|
Blocks |
1.5 |
1.08 |
|
Retrieve the ball |
5.89 |
6.8 |
|
Progressive passes |
6.71 |
5.58 |
|
It passes to the last third |
5.64 |
5.58 |
|
Statistics from FBref |
||
The similarities are there to be seen. Liverpool will add a natural defensive midfielder to the squad, while Ryan Gravenberch has been 'first class'. According to Peter CrouchThey might get a better version of it too. The addition of Ederson will give the Dutchman more opportunity to roam higher up the pitch.
Of course, £50m is a big investment in January, but this could be a signing to galvanize the Reds and help them win the league. They could never replace Fabinho, but perhaps Slott will have his own version in what could be a historic season at Anfield.
