Tuesday 30 June 2015 17:35, UK
Manchester City and Manchester United have been linked with £15million moves for Monaco’s Fabinho by the British press – but just who is the highly-rated Brazilian?
Here, we give you the lowdown on the right-back who impressed against Arsenal in the Champions League and could be on his way to the Premier League.
Name: Fábio Henrique Tavares
Age: 21
Position: Right-back/defensive midfield
Club: Monaco
Nation: Brazil (two caps, no goals)
What’s his background?
Despite his tender years, Fabinho has already enjoyed an eclectic career. He arrived in Europe as a teenager in 2012 when he signed for Portuguese side Rio Ave from Fluminese, but just a few weeks later he was sent on loan to Real Madrid Castilla.
Fabinho featured 30 times in the Spanish second division that season, and he even made one appearance for Real Madrid’s first team, coming on as a substitute in a 6-2 thrashing of Malaga and providing an assist for Angel Di Maria.
The following summer Claudio Ranieri took him on loan at Monaco, who had just won promotion back to Ligue 1. Fabinho’s arrival was somewhat overshadowed by a list of big money recruits which included Radamel Falcao, James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho, but he has proved a shrewd acquisition.
Fabinho has established himself as one of Ligue 1’s top defenders and broken into the Brazil set-up during his two years at the Stade Louis II. He signed for Monaco permanently in May for a reported fee of £4m, but his future at the club is far from certain after his impressive performances in Ligue 1 and in Europe last season.
What kind of player is he?
Fabinho is unusually tall for a full-back at 6ft 2in, but his physical attributes work to his advantage in the position. The long-legged Brazilian is strong and deceptively fast, which are valuable assets at both ends of the pitch.
Defensively, Fabinho is excellent. He was a key member of one of the stingiest back fours in Europe last season. Monaco had the best defensive record in Ligue 1, reached the last eight of the Champions League and conceded just 28 goals in Fabinho’s 49 appearances in all competitions.
He averaged 2.7 tackles per game in Ligue 1 games in 2014/15 – more than any of Monaco’s other defenders – and his marauding runs forward have also become a familiar sight. Fabinho likes to surge towards the byline and put crosses into dangerous areas, and despite his size he has the quick feet and turn of pace to beat opposition defenders.
Fabinho is versatile too, as he showed in the Champions League against Arsenal. The Brazilian was deployed as a defensive midfielder alongside Geoffrey Kondogbia at the Emirates Stadium and he shone as they claimed a shock 3-1 win.
He is also an accomplished passer. His pass completion rate of 81.5 per cent in Ligue 1 games puts him in the top five Monaco players to have made over 20 appearances last season, and he is ambitious with the ball too – as is shown by his average of 3.2 long balls per game last season.
Fabinho’s versatility and varied strengths are all the more impressive when considering he is still only 21. “Fabinho is a player with a lot of quality,” said Monaco manager Leonardo Jardim in March. “He is very important for us.”
What are his weaknesses?
Given his age, there are naturally areas of his game that need work. Fabinho loves to bomb forward from right-back but his stats suggest he still lacks end product in the final third.
While he found the net twice in 2014/15, Opta records show he has not registered a single assist over the last two seasons in Ligue 1.
On the plus side, Fabinho has plenty of time to improve. He may need to sharpen up his final ball, but he has shown more than enough potential to suggest his development will continue on an upward curve.
It is a view supported by Monaco’s vice-president Vadim Vasilyev. "His versatility, his youth and his state of mind make him a great player for the future,” he said in May.
Would he fit in in the Premier League?
The latest national newspaper reports suggest City are currently Fabinho’s most likely destination, with the Daily Mail reporting they are considering meeting Monaco’s £15m asking price.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side already have Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna at right-back, but they are 30 and 32 respectively and Fabinho would provide a youthful option as well as being able to play in central midfield.
United’s need for a right-back is more pressing as Louis van Gaal looks to bring in competition for Antonio Valencia. Newspapers have mentioned Fabinho as a target, but Sky sources say United are also eyeing Everton’s Seamus Coleman.
If Fabinho does end up in the Premier League, there are plenty of reasons to believe he would be a success. His strength and pace would help him adapt to the dynamic style of the Premier League, and his Champions League performances indicate he would be unfazed by the big stages of the Etihad Stadium or Old Trafford.
