Liverpool are very keen to extend the contract of Fabinho according to reports.
The Brazilian midfielder has turned into a ‘Mr Fixit’ after seamlessly dropping back into a central defensive role courtesy of the season ending injuries to Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
The 27 year-old has recently overcome an injury of his own after straining a hamstring against Midtjylland in the Champions League but he has slotted seamlessly into the backline to help fill the void left by Van Dijk and Gomez.
Not including that fixture where he was substituted after just 30 minutes, Fabinho’s record at the heart of defence has been very impressive with the Reds having conceded just two goals in six games (four league games/two in Europe) and compiling five wins and one draw from those fixtures.
The ability of Fabinho to read the play and stop attacking thrusts from the opposition has been displayed many times as a defensive midfielder and he has taken those instincts with him as a centre-Back when partnering Joel Matip and Nathaniel Phillips.
The Guardian reports that his level of professionalism and adaptability has greatly impressed the club hierarchy who are very keen to reward Fabinho with a pay rise.
The report states the former Monaco man is deemed by the club as one of the ‘untouchables’ and they want to lock him down until 2026. Few fans would argue with that and the Brazilian has proved to be a huge success in his time with the Reds, helping to win the Champions League in his debut season and then playing a big part as the Reds ended their 30 year wait for a domestic title the following year.
His current deal runs out in 2023 (worth £100,000 per week), but with this proposed new deal he will move towards the group of players just underneath the top earners.
Locking away Gini Wijnaldum is a more pressing need at this point of time, and this report also says that the club want to resume contract talks in the next few weeks. The popular Dutchman will be able to talk to overseas clubs in a few weeks and his future has been a point of concern for supporters for some time now.
Whereas everyone else in the senior squad has been rewarded for their form and contributions to the club's recent success, Wijnaldum has been the one glaring exception. So far terms have not been agreed and neither side seems willing to budge.
Allowing Wijnaldum to leave when in his prime would be a big gamble by Liverpool as finding a replacement capable of filling the breach is like spinning a roulette wheel hoping to strike lucky. On that note, if you're a fan of casinos, then check this casino bonus comparison.
Wijnaldum was heavily tipped to leave last summer but the move never materialised, presumably due to Jurgen Klopp's desire to keep him and Gini's chief suitor Barcelona's lack of finances. Given the injury problems the Reds have suffered in the middle of the park this year, it's a good job Wijnaldum did remain at the club as he's been the one constant this season and is arguably in the form of his life.
Wijnaldum has continued to be heavily linked to the Calatan giants, and after his outstanding performance against Wolves gave a typically cagey response:
"I already said in my previous interview, I don’t talk about my contract situation, I talk about the game.
Wijnaldum is one of Klopp’s most trusted players and speaking after the win, the manager was in no doubt in what he wanted to see occur.
“I hope so [that he signs], to be honest. You can see that, he plays all the time. We have a pretty good relationship. I hope so."
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