With 16 appearances this season, Fabio da Silva has been able to find quite regular form for Middlesbrough lately.
Linked to a departure from the Championship side in the summer, it seems the player is better settled now, and his good sequence has convinced him to extend his stay.
That was revealed by himself in a chat with Brazilian website Globo Esporte on Tuesday. The fullback confirmed that despite the wish to leave Middlesbrough a few months ago, he’s now changed his mind and wants to stay in England for a longer time.
Asked if he would join his childhood club Botafogo, Fabio said: “Botafogo always gets me. I’m Botafogo and my dream is to play for Botafogo. I plan on making a three-year contract, staying up to 30 years old (at Middlesbrough). Then I want to play for Botafogo and end my career there. Of course Rafael and I have the dream of playing together, yes. We play in similar roles on the wing, but suddenly I move to midfield (laughs). But we have this dream of playing together for Botafogo.”
“It makes me sad to see how Brazil is now. If the country was better, both politically and violently, perhaps I would have returned some time ago. The quality of life is good here in England, but it has the cold, always raining… there are few things to do. I’m very active, I like the beach, to play footvolley, to go out with friends. I want to go back to Brazil. My opinion has changed several times so I don’t know if I would go back now. Four months ago I was thinking a lot about going back. Today, I already think another way.”
Still about Middlesbrough, Fabio told the Brazilian website about the worship of Juninho Paulista at the club: “Juninho is Pelé to them. I’m not exaggerating. He is the greatest idol in Middlesbrough’s history. That’s what Zico is like for Flamengo. The guys talk about Juninho here all the time, it’s impressive. I didn’t know it was that big…”
“I don’t know if it’s because I’m Brazilian too, but the fans like me very much. I can’t complain about that. In Cardiff, too. Even in Manchester, even without playing much, the fans always liked me a lot.”
