da brwin： According to Marca, Manchester United are closing on the signature of AS Monaco midfielder Fabinho, who could cost the Red Devils £50m.
What’s the story?
da pinnacle： Despite being considered as mainly a defensive player, Fabinho scored nine times for Monaco during their title-winning 2016-17 Ligue 1 campaign, while he also netted once and provided three assists in the club’s run to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Man United were linked with a move for the Brazilian in last summer’s transfer window, although Monaco managed to hold off the interest in a player that is said to have a long list of admirers.
Monaco director Deco recently claimed that Juventus wanted to sign Fabinho this summer, but according to Marca, Man United are closing in on a £50m move for the versatile player.
Monaco have already lost Bernardo Silva to the Premier League this summer, and 18-year-old Kylian Mbappe is also attracting a whole host of interest ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.
Where would Fabinho fit in at Man United?
The 23-year-old has previously played a lot of football at right-back, but he hardly featured in that position for Monaco during the 2016-17 season.
In fact, 37 of his appearances last term came in central midfield, and a return of 10 goals from 37 matches is an indication of what he would bring to the 20-time English champions.
Antonio Valencia was one of Man United’s best performers last season, suggesting that right-back will not be the position for Fabinho. Instead, he could well be used in a midfield three alongside Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba, which would bring a new dynamic to the Red Devils.
Fabinho’s athleticism is also one of his biggest attributes, and he has the look of a player that could thrive in the English game.
A number of Man United supporters were disappointed when they missed out on Silva, who moved to Manchester City, but the arrival of Fabinho, even for a bloated fee of £50m, would certainly leave the fans looking forward to the new campaign.