Fabinho thinks Liverpool have an ‘excellent’ player who’s never played under Jürgen Klopp before

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Fabinho has been speaking to ESPN Brasil about Liverpool’s transfer activity over the summer, or lack of activity more like.

What’s the story?

Well, the Brazilian tipped Manchester City to retain their Premier League title, as they continue to strengthen their squad yearly.

Fabinho said: “If I look at the team, I think Manchester City are the favourites, as they are the defending champions and still keep strengthening themselves, which is what they do every season.”

When discussing Liverpool’s business over the summer, Fabinho also had some brief praise for Ibrahima Konate.

The £43.7m man said: “We signed Konate, who is an excellent defender, Harvey Elliott came back on loan, which is something important for us, Minamino, too. I believe our team is very strong. It’s the same team that won the Premier League two years ago.”

Despite his arrival for the significant sum of £36m, Jürgen Klopp is yet to start Konate in a competitive fixture, or even substitute him on.

However, that could change later today against Crystal Palace. According to The Athletic, the Frenchman is in line to make his debut for the Reds.

Did Liverpool need to sign Ibrahima Konate?

Despite what happened in Liverpool’s centre-back department last season, was the signing of Konate necessary?

In our view, it’s starting to look as if that £36m could’ve been spent on bolstering the attack instead.

Klopp now has Virgil van Dijk and Joël Matip as his first choice duo, with Konate and Joe Gomez warming the bench most weeks.

There is even quality depth behind them in Nat Phillips, so the Reds now have five options for just two first-team positions.

Seeing as Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino are the only options to deputise for Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino, that £36m certainly should’ve gone on a versatile attacker.

That isn’t to say that Konate isn’t a brilliant player, because he is.

In our view, we just feel Liverpool’s priorities were all wrong in the market this summer.