Fabinho has been repeatedly linked with a move to Manchester United over the past few weeks. It’s one of the transfer rumours which has most caught the attention of the club’s fans, and that’s because it makes a great deal of sense.
The Brazilian could provide a boost in quality to Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United squad, and provide an option in both midfield and at right back. Playing for AS Monaco, Fabinho would also be something of a fashionable transfer.
However, the Premier League club have put out word that there’s no interest. Some of the journalists who dared to share that information were met with a torrent of abuse, such is the desire among some fans to have the player.
Those sharing the information almost certainly didn’t make it up, so either Manchester United are using the media to try and go under the radar for Fabinho, or they’re genuinely not interested.
Fabinho himself is interested, very much so, and made that clear this week on Brazilian TV.
Appearing again on Friday, this time on ESPN Brasil, Fabinho was of course asked about the potential transfer, because it’s big news in Brazil too. The presenters were reading questions from fans, somewhat passing the buck for the transfer question, and the player was asked which Manchester United shirt he’ll be wearing next season.
He smiled and said: “At this moment, Fabinho is with the Monaco shirt.”
Now Fabinho is referring to himself in the third person, Manchester United fans may not be so keen.
On whether he’s a midfielder or a right back, the Brazilian explained he’s now happy to do either: “My adaptation to midfield was good this season, because in previous seasons the manager had already used me in that position.
“He had already asked if I used to play in that position in youth levels, we talked a lot about it. This season he decided to definitely change my position. I think I didn’t do it very well at the beginning, I didn’t want to leave the wing much. But then I saw that it was positive for both me and the team. So the eye of the manager was good for both parties.”
With those asking the questions probably fishing for Manchester United hints, Fabinho was asked which players and managers he’d like to work with: “Players, the one I think I would like to play together or face, to watch closely, is Messi. Managers, I would also like to work with great managers to learn more about football, learn new things. There are great managers in football. Guardiola, Zidane, who’s doing a great work, Tite, also doing a great job in the national team, Simeone. These are managers I would like to work with some day.”
That wasn’t good enough, so the ESPN Brasil presenter added an all important word: “Mourinho?”
Fabinho played along: “Mourinho, too. He is an excellent manager. No doubt.”
And, finally: “My dream is to get to the national team, get steady, play the 2018 World Cup. And at club level it’s to get to a big club that fights to always be champion, with champion mentality. It could be in Spain, England, France… I want to play for a club that fights to win the Champions League title. That’s what I’ll keep seeking.”
