Thiago Silva Expects “Smart and Technical” Fabinho to Handle Premier League

48 hours have passed since Liverpool blitzed the football world with a lightning deal for Monaco midfielder Fabinho, prompting a flurry of media activity around the club and player. One purpose — beyond the purely financial — of completing deals out of the limelight and early in the window is to get the player settled into his new home as quickly as possible, normalising their new situation and allowing them to get on with their job.

In that sense, the strategy seems to have succeeded, as, following the whirlwind of interest in all things Fabinho on Monday, things have already begun to settle, with the player’s name popping up in fewer places.

It hasn’t gone entirely cold, however, and on Thursday, Brazil captain Thiago Silva was quizzed on his thoughts about his compatriot’s £43m move to Merseyside.

”He is really smart, a really technical player and I am sure he will get adapted to the Premier League as soon as he arrives here,” said the Paris Saint-Germain skipper.

”He changed his position in Monaco, he was a right-back and now he is a midfielder.

”I don’t know how Liverpool are thinking about using him, but I am sure they can use him in both.”

It’s not spectacularly profound analysis, but for fans whose impression of the Brazilian is based largely on his frame and favoured position, the words smart and technical may come as somewhat of a surprise. They’re entirely accurate, though, as Fabinho is as smooth on the ball as you’d like, and even more so than you’d expect from your 6’2 ball-winner.

To Silva’s second point, Fabinho did indeed spend a significant chunk of his career at right fullback, but with this current iteration of Liverpool being blessed with both the prodigious talents of Trent Alexander-Arnold and the experience and savvy of Nathaniel Clyne at the position, it seems likely — thankfully — that Reds fans will get to watch the 24-year old play the game in his favoured and most effective spot.

Now, the one and only downside of this early transfer business remains: waiting a full ten weeks to see the man pull on the shirt in an official game.