Fabinho believes Sadio Mane can become one of the best players in the world, having now witnessed his talents firsthand after admiring from afar.
The Brazilian joined the Reds from Monaco in May, but is yet to fully integrate into the side as Jurgen Klopp takes a patient approach to his adjustment.
He has made just one start so far, that being against Chelsea in the League Cup, along with a further two substitute appearances in the Champions League.
But while he isn’t a regular feature on the pitch at this stage, he has been a staple in training, providing him with the opportunity to acclimatise without pressure.
While at Melwood, and sitting on the bench at Anfield, he has also been able to analyse his new team-mates—and speaking to Goal this week he reserved special praise for Mane.
“Sadio Mane is an excellent player. Before I came to Liverpool, I saw him on TV and I liked him a lot,” he explained.
“He is very fast and very intelligent. He has everything to continue growing to become one of the best players in the world.
“I hope he continues with us for a long time. It is a pleasure to play alongside him.
“Our trio of attack is one of the most powerful in the world of football.
“They are complete, they are very fast, they have a very fast thinking speed, and they understand each other very well.
“They want to get better and they are very hungry for goals. Our team is very good because of the strength of our attack. I hope they score many goals this season.”
Klopp’s decision to slowly transition Fabinho into life in the Liverpool first team is due to the difference in his system compared to Monaco.
While the 24-year-old believes he is ready to take up a more focal role, he continued to explain how his new manager’s approach varies.
“There are a lot of differences. The way we play, the intensity is different, the tactical scheme is different,” he added.
“Here we have six players playing in the midfield and everyone can be the starters.
“[At] Liverpool the structure and the training centre are fantastic and the fans are also special. I hope it’s a beginning of a good story for me.”
Injury to James Milner could prompt Klopp into a reshuffle in his midfield ranks, though Fabinho is still contending with both Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson for the No. 6 role.
The hope is, however, that Fabinho can soon showcase the form that convinced Liverpool he was worth their £39 million outlay in the summer.
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