“You have a good player who has done a lot of good things in the past and you might say to yourself, ‘That’s it for him. Then if you can go out and find another player to replace him, it makes sense on both sides [to say], ‘Come on, that was a good time, see you later.’

When Jurgen Klopp uttered such words earlier this month and hinted that Liverpool would be making big changes to their squad next summer, the truth was he could have been referring to a number of aging players under -performing at Anfield. But as fans have speculated, one player may have stood out more than most – Fabinho.

Once one of the top names on Klopp’s squad list, the Brazilian’s relegation this season has been alarming. It goes hand in hand with the Reds’ struggles, particularly in midfield, and his performances in recent weeks have seen him lose his job to 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic.

But with Liverpool not planning to strengthen their squad further in January, the 29-year-old will have time to try and win back his place ahead of the Reds’ planned midfield revamp in the summer.
After all, “If you can’t get anyone in, you can’t get anyone out, that’s the situation,” as Klopp would go on to admit.

Including Bajcetic, Liverpool have 11 senior midfielders ahead of the second half of the season. But with Naby Keita, Alex OxladeChamberlain, James Milner and Juventus mercenary Arthur Melo all out of contract at the club after the end of the season, it’s clear the Reds will need several new signings when their midfield revamp comes to an end.  While it remains to be seen whether Fabinho, who is under contract until 2026, can regain his form, Jude Bellingham and Matheus Nunes are both well documented to interest Liverpool.

But while the Brazilian may be fighting for his future, a midfielder who the Reds considered signing Fabinho in May 2018 is expected to move on transfer deadline day.
Coming on straight after Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in Kyiv, the Reds snatched Fabinho in a deal worth £43.7m from AS Monaco was also credited with monitoring both Napoli midfielder Jorginho and Sampdoria’s Lucas Torreira.

Ultimately, the Brazilian’s stature, which stands at 6-foot-2 to the Italian’s 5-foot-11 and the Uruguayan’s 5-foot 6, helped Liverpool make their decision when the club’s recruitment team decided he was l impressive midfield presence they needed. However, the two alternative destinations were also on their way to the Premier League in the same summer when Jorginho joined Chelsea in a £57m deal while Arsenal snapped up Torreira for £26m.

The Uruguayan would ultimately only have two seasons on loan at the Emirates before being loaned out. After playing at Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina all season, he joined Galatasaray for £5.3m last summer. He played 89 games for the Gunners and scored four goals. He would win just one FA Cup in the capital.

On the other hand, Jorginho shone at Stamford Bridge. He made 213 appearances, scored 29 goals in four and a half seasons and won the Champions League, Europa League, FIFA Club World Cup and European Super Cup with the Londoners. During this time he also played a starring role for Italy as they won Euro 2020. But now, 18 months after that international triumph at Wembley in which he was hailed as one of the best midfielders field in the world, his career at Chelsea is coming to an end.

Chelsea, out of contract this summer, agreed to sell Jorginho to Premier League leaders Arsenal after the two London clubs were frustrated in their bid to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton. The 31-year-old will leave for an initial fee of £10m, rising to £12m with add-ons, and sign an 18-month contract with a one-year extension option. Meanwhile, Chelsea are continuing their own midfield transformation as they seek to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for an English record fee of £106million. As loyal as Jorginho’s servants were, they are clearly looking to the future by exploiting their vice-captain before his contract expires.

In truth, Liverpool won’t regret choosing to sign Fabinho over Jorginho or Torreira despite his drastic drop in form. With 199 appearances for the Reds and 11 goals scored so far, he has been instrumental in their victories in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, European Super Cup and Community Shield.
But with Chelsea beginning their midfield transformation by signing Jorginho, they have now set an example for Liverpool to follow ahead of their own overhaul.