Fabinho's Shocking £40m Transfer Move: An Unexpected Twist for Liverpool at the Hands of Saudi Side Al-Ittihad!

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho has not travelled with the squad to their training

camp in Germany after the club received a £40m offer from Al-Ittihad for the Brazilian.

The Saudi Pro League side submitted their bid on Friday night. As a result, the 29-year-old has been granted permission to undergo a medical examination and complete the necessary formalities for the deal. Fabinho, who joined Liverpool from Monaco for £43.7m in 2018, has amassed 219 appearances for the Reds. During his time at Liverpool, he has triumphed in various competitions including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Super Cup.

However, it appears that the Brazilian player is likely to leave Liverpool after five years, as he is expected to join Al-Ittihad, the Saudi champions. Al-Ittihad is one of four Saudi Arabian clubs owned by the country's Public Investment Fund. When the club received a £40m offer from Al-Ittihad, discussions took place within Liverpool. As a result, it was decided, after consulting with Fabinho, to withdraw him from the squad that traveled to Germany on Saturday.

Al-Ettifaq target Henderson part of pre-season squad

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson is, however, part of the club's tour squad following heavy interest from Steven Gerrard's Al-Ettifaq.

The Saudi side has not made any official move for the England midfielder, and he will not be sold for a reduced fee. Al-Ettifaq is awaiting Henderson's permission to submit a formal offer to Liverpool while the midfielder considers his future.

Former Liverpool captain Gerrad, now managing the Saudi Pro League side, is eager to sign the English international Henderson. To entice him, they have offered to increase his weekly salary from £200,000 to more than triple that amount. They are considering a two-year contract with the possibility of a third year. Al-Ettifaq is also prepared to pay whatever transfer fee is required to secure Henderson, who still has two years remaining on his existing agreement.

There has been no contact, whether casual or formal, between the clubs, indicating that Liverpool's captain, Henderson, has not made a decision yet. Henderson is expected to first seek clarification from Jurgen Klopp regarding his contribution in the upcoming season.

Lavia, Phillips potential Fabinho replacements | Caicedo not a target

Liverpool had been assessing candidates to be a long-term successor to Fabinho, with Romeo Lavia high on their agenda.

Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo will not be part of the impending sale, which might lead to a shift towards more experienced options, such as Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips, Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, and Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat, who are all players currently being considered by Liverpool.