Perfect £26m Fabinho replacement has already been scouted by Liverpool

Liverpool could see both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho leave this summer and whilst Henderson would be a huge loss both on and off-the-pitch, the loss of Fabinho would leave them without a senior defensive midfielder - so who could they target?

Of course, Southampton’s Romeo Lavia is a clear target and considering he’s just been relegated with Southampton, he stands as a very achieveable target. However, the Saints are asking for a fee around £50m which could be considered steep given he’s played just one full season at the top level and is currently a Championship player but there are also other options to consider.

One player who isn’t currently a concrete target is Benfica’s Florentino Luis; the Portuguese midfielder has already been scouted by the club earlier on in the season and he stands as a perfect Fabinho replacement.

Whereas the likes of Nice’s Khephren Thuram and Borussia Monchengladbach’s Manu Kone are both players who have been strongly linked, neither seem to fit the profile of player needed whilst Luis stands as the perfect midfielder destroyer and protector that could not only help Liverpool avoid another poor season, but could also help them progress further.

Last month Gianluca Di Marzio reported that he could be available for as little as £26m but it’s likely that fee will be higher given he still has four years left on his current deal. The Reds have already done business with the club before signing Darwin Nunez and they should consider doing so once again for Luis.

His Pedigree

Former Benfica coach Joao Tralhao spoke on Luis to GOAL during last season, giving the description of what seems to be a perfect Klopp player: “He is the kind of player every coach would like to have in their squad.

“He’s an amazing boy, a hard worker, calm, professional, always prepared to listen and he is a proper team player. He doesn’t think only of himself.”

Luis has been part of title-winning sides and he was a key part of their successes in their run to the Champions League quarter-finals last season. Originating from the famed Benfica academy, he is the next player in a long line of talented stars that include Joao Felix, Darwin Nunez and Enzo Fernandez, to make the move to a big club.

Last season saw him play close to 4,000 minutes across all competitions, as he played 54 times across five competitions. He’s already a two-time league champion in Portugal and is ready to take the next step.

His Statistics

Standing 6ft tall, the 23-year-old recorded the most interceptions in the Champions League last season with 27, ahead of Napoli’s Kim Min-Jae (22) and Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich (20).

In the Primeira Liga last season, he tackled 69.7% of opposition dribblers, ranking him in the 99th percentile of midfielders, per Fbref. In comparison, Fabinho only tackled 35% of dribblers faced last season, while Henderson tackled 44%. He also averaged over six tackles plus interceptions per 90 and is a player who loves to break up play and does so regularly.

Furthermore, he’s comfortable with a team who has a lot of possession; Liverpool averaged 57% last season, whilst Benfica managed 59% as Luis averaged 70 passes a game whilst maintaining a 90% pass completion.

These numbers suggest he is a perfect replacement for Fabinho and someone who can develop over time at the club. If Liverpool want to avoid a bidding war with Chelsea for Caicedo, then Luis is an option that will certainly not disappoint.