Fabinho is close to reuniting with Mohamed Salah after Trabzonspor reached a verbal agreement with the former Liverpool midfielder to join on a free transfer following the conclusion of his spell with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad this summer.
Fabrizio Romano revealed that the Turkish club is preparing travel arrangements for the Brazilian midfielder within the next 24 to 48 hours, alongside scheduling his medical examinations, while agent Jorge Mendes handles the final details prior to contract signing and the official announcement.
The move for Fabinho comes as part of an ambitious project by Trabzonspor, who finished third last season and are preparing for domestic competition as well as UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds, prompting the board to add proven experience to their squad.
Mohamed Salah was the club’s marquee signing this summer, with the Egypt national team captain joining on a two-year contract following his departure from Liverpool. Trabzonspor has also acquired Sidnei Lopes Cabral from Benfica and Cenk Özkacar from Valencia, alongside several young prospects to widen the manager’s options.
Salah and Fabinho previously played together at Liverpool between 2018 and 2023, serving as core figures in the generation that returned the Premier League title to Anfield after a 30-year wait, while also winning the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, and EFL Cup.
Fabinho made 219 appearances in all competitions for the Reds, scoring 11 goals and lifting 5 major trophies as he developed into the key defensive anchor in Jürgen Klopp’s system, responsible for granting attacking freedom to Salah and his fellow forwards.
The Brazilian moved to Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023, featuring in 81 Saudi Pro League matches with 4 goals and 5 assists. Last season, he played 30 matches, scoring once and providing 3 assists, while helping Al-Ittihad complete a domestic double by winning both the Saudi Pro League and the King Cup during the 2024-2025 campaign.
