Fabinho is set to reunite with former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah at Trabzonspor as the Brazilian prepares to finalise his move to the Turkish Super Lig side. The midfielder spent five years at Anfield, arriving a year after Salah in 2018.
From Anfield to Saudi Arabia
The Champions League winner left Liverpool in 2023 to begin a new chapter in the Saudi Pro League, joining Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £40m to the Reds. Fabinho went on to win a league and the cup in the 2024/25 season before becoming a free agent this summer.
After weeks of speculation over his next move, it has now been confirmed that the 32-year-old midfielder will join Trabzonspor. The club posted a video of Fabinho wearing their kit while on a private jet.
Madrid stopover and Real Madrid admission
In the clip, he is heard saying: "A familiar face is waiting for me in Trabzon and I am on my way." Before agreeing a deal, Fabinho was spotted in Madrid, fuelling speculation over his next move. After Brazil were knocked out of the World Cup by Norway in the round of 16, the former Monaco star travelled straight to the Spanish capital to spend time with friends and family.
Asked about his plans, he said: "My contract with Al-Ittihad is coming to an end, but I’m coming to Madrid because I have family here and we’ll be staying here for a while." He added: "When the World Cup ended, I wasn’t really sure what to do or where to go, but we decided to come here to be close to our family here in Spain. And it's really nice here, too, so we’ll stay here for a little while."
When pushed on whether he would like to play for Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho, Fabinho, who won six major honours with Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, said: "Man, Real Madrid. Who wouldn’t want to play for Madrid? It’s the biggest team in the world."
Trophy-laden career
The Brazilian spent five seasons at Anfield, winning every major trophy on offer, including the Premier League title and the Champions League. In Saudi, Fabinho made 111 appearances, winning the Saudi Cup and the Saudi Arabian league in the 2024/25 season.
