Fabinho has left Liverpool to join Al-Ittihad in a £40 million deal, becoming the latest player to move to the Saudi Pro league.
This ends the 29-year-old’s five-year tenure at Anfield, where he made 219 senior appearances. Playing in a three-man midfield, Fabinho played a key role in helping Jurgen Klopp’s side win the Champions League in 2019 and secure their first league title in three decades the following season.
During his time at Merseyside, the Brazilian midfielder won a total of seven trophies, including the Champions League and the league title. He now joins Jordan Henderson in the Saudi top flight, who agreed to terms on a significant £700,000 per week wage to join Al-Ettifaq.
These moves are part of a new strategy by Saudi Arabian chiefs to attract high-profile players to their country. The presence of Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in January after leaving Manchester United, has made waves in the Middle East nation’s football scene.
Al-Ittihad, based in Jeddah, has arguably made the most notable acquisitions in this summer transfer window. They have added Fabinho alongside the current Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema, who joined from Real Madrid, as well as former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante and Portuguese winger Jota, who joined from Celtic.
An official statement accompanying the announcement reads: ‘The Ittihad Media Center has announced that the Board of Directors of Ittihad Club, under the leadership of Anmar Abdullah Al-Hailae, has signed a contract with Brazilian player Fabinho, who is joining the club from Liverpool FC in England and has signed a three-season contract.
“This signing is part of Ittihad Club’s efforts to reinforce the team with outstanding players, who will support their journey in the upcoming phase, which includes multiple domestic and international competitions.”
Meanwhile, Riyadh-based club Al-Hilal has also made multiple signings from the Premier League, acquiring Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea, midfielder Ruben Neves from Wolves, and splashing out on Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
Fabinho is one of the few stars with a Liverpool association moving to Saudi Arabia this summer. His compatriot Roberto Firmino also made the switch to Al Ahli after leaving Anfield at the end of his contract, while Henderson signed for Ettifaq to be reunited with Kop legend Steven Gerrard.
Former Reds’ striker Robbie Fowler has taken charge of second-tier side Al-Qadsiah. There might be more players making the move to the Gulf state before the end of the transfer window.
Fabinho’s departure, with three years remaining on his contract at Anfield, has added to Liverpool’s squad rebuilding challenges. The club has already experienced an exodus of midfielders this summer, with James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain among those leaving as free agents.
As part of their response, the Reds have signed Alexis MacAllister from Brighton and RB Leipzig attacking star Dominik Szoboszlai.