Rohan Sengupta
Fabinho has revealed that this will be his final season at Monaco before leaving the Ligue 1 champions next summer. The Brazilian was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United and Juventus during the last transfer window. But a deal never materialised and he remained at Monaco.
However, Fabinho has confirmed that he is set to leave the French champions at the end of the season, with potential offers set to arrive from England, as well as admiring glances from Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid.
“It should be my last season at Monaco,” Fabinho told French daily L’Equipe (h/t Daily Mail). “Atletico or PSG? I’m a Monaco player.
“I need to prove I can play on teams like that. We’ll see in May. I used to read the papers. I don’t anymore. I’m OK with that.
“During the transfer window and even a month afterwards it was a little difficult to live with the situation. But I don’t think about it anymore, I’ve turned the page.”
The 24-year-old claimed he had reached a verbal agreement with the club’s hierarchy over his exit, though he has no intentions of departing in the January window.
When asked he could leave the club next month, Fabinho said:
“I don’t think so. I have had no contact [from other clubs] and I’m secure at Monaco.”
The versatile midfielder admitted that his head was turned by Paris-Saint Germain’s interest earlier this season and was no longer ‘giving his maximum’ for manager Leonardo Jardim but refused to force through a move because of loyalty.
Fabinho has been at Monaco since 2013, though his first two seasons in the principality were spent on loan from Brazilian outfit Rio Ave. He was linked with a move to Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United after a stellar campaign in which he helped the principality club win the Ligue 1 title and reach the Champions League semi-finals.
The Monaco midfielder has admitted he would like to reunite with Mourinho, under whom he briefly played at Real Madrid. When asked whether he would like to play under Mourinho, Fabinho told ESPN Brasil:
“Mourinho, too. He is an excellent manager. No doubt.”
United, however eventually cooled their summer interest in Fabinho by signing Nemanja Matic from Chelsea. Fabinho’s versatility means he may still be a realistic target for our Portuguese manager, who will be keen to add more steel to his midfield next year.
What’s your thought on Fabinho joining Manchester United?
