The midfielder was linked with a move to Manchester United, before he ended up joining Liverpool this summer.
Liverpool new-boy Fabinho sat down for an exclusive interview with football magazine FourFourTwo, and responded when asked whether he was close to joining Manchester United before completing his move to Anfield last month.
The Brazilian joined Liverpool from Monaco in a deal believed to be worth in the region of £40 million, according to BBC Sport, and many believe that his arrival on Merseyside will help elevate Jürgen Klopp’s side to an entirely new level.
Things could have been so different for the 24-year-old, though.
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According to the Sun, Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho was intent on bringing Fabinho to Old Trafford this summer – a move that obviously failed to materialise.
The Brazilian refuted claims that he was ever close to joining the Red Devils, though, when speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo magazine during a wide-ranging interview:
“I was sad to leave Monaco, a club that gave me a lot of great moments, but in football sometimes you need new challenges and I thought it was time to move on. As soon as Liverpool declared their interest in signing me, it was a simple decision to make. A club with Liverpool’s history wants you? Come on, you just pack your bags and go. It will be an honour to wear the famous red shirt. I was never close to signing for Manchester United, no. I heard things said about it, but the truth is it was never a strong possibility.”
Klopp is seemingly on the verge of achieving something very special at Anfield, and with Fabinho now amongst his ranks, it would be no surprise to see Liverpool usurp United and Premier League champions Manchester City this season, and win their first top flight title since 1990.
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