Premier League giants Liverpool have reportedly chosen Fabinho over Wolverhampton Wanderers’ talisman Ruben Neves.
Liverpool’s £43.7 million deal to sign Monaco midfielder Fabinho should have been greeted as positively at Molineux as it was at Anfield.
According to Goal, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had demanded a versatile, defensively minded midfielder after losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid in calamitous circumstances. And Fabinho, who has made his name as a superb all-round midfielder but can also play at right-back, ticks a lot of boxes.
And, Goal adds, the arrival of one Jorge Mendes client at Anfield this summer means another member of the Gestifute agency is unlikely to be playing his football on Merseyside next season.
Ruben Neves has been linked with a move to Liverpool all summer, one year after he joined Wolves for a club-record £15.8 million.
The Portuguese international was a revelation at Molineux, arguably the best player in the Championship as Wolves cruised to the league-title. Neves, in addition to his sublime passing range, scored six truly world-class goals all from outside the box.
And FourFourTwo reported that Neves was in negotiations with Liverpool despite publically stating that he wanted to remain in the Black Country. But with a deal for Fabinho signed, sealed and delivered, Wolves fans can now rest easy.
Because Goal states that Neves is now likely to stay at Wolves for at least one more season after Liverpool choose to prioritise Fabinho instead.
Amid all the potential big-name signings as Wolves prepare for a return to the Premier League, keeping Neves will be their best piece of business.
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