Football pundit bats for Liverpool to sell misfiring senior star in the summer

Frank McAvennie urges Liverpool to sell Fabinho in the summer

Speaking to Football Insider (h/t Liverpool Echo), football pundit Frank McAvennie has suggested Liverpool to sell midfielder Fabinho in the coming summer.

After a few good seasons in a Liverpool shirt since arriving from AS Monaco in 2018, Fabinho is having an underwhelming campaign this time around.

The Brazil international has looked leggy and jaded, to say the least. We have seen him holding that midfield together for so long in a highly-intense system. So, one bad season was always around the corner, especially when the Reds are struggling in midfield anyway.

Here’s what McAvennie, former West Ham United player, said when asked about Fabinho (h/t Liverpool Echo):

“It depends who comes in. [Jordan] Henderson is not getting any younger, neither is Fabinho. They miss Thiago [Alcantara], he is a wonderful talent and is a better player than Henderson.

“Henderson has done a wonderful job and he will still continue to do that job but he can’t play all the time. I do not know if they will keep Fabinho or if they will try and get money for him. I would try and sell him. I think the midfield needs shaken up.”

McAvennie is right that Liverpool need a midfield shake-up. Jurgen Klopp may agree to that point a thousand times. We all know the club is aiming to sign a few midfielders in the summer.

But, as Klopp himself would know better, Fabinho is still a key cog in that department. Calling him and Jordan Henderson

ageing midfielders in one sentence is factually wrong as the Brazilian is 29 and the captain is 32.

So, we can get more out of Fabinho in the coming seasons, if there is a good structure around him. While he has had a bad season, the players around him have lacked the legs and quality to control a midfield together.

We anyway are going to lose Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for free in the summer, while Henderson is not in a position to play regular minutes.

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• Barcelona set £53m price tag on Liverpool target Ansu Fati

Hence, Klopp and his coaching staff should keep hold of Fabinho, build the next midfield around his experience and quality in defensive midfield and go for all trophies next season onwards. It is up to the owners to fulfil their promise of backing the manager financially.