Fabinho has spent the opening weeks of this summer without a club, after his contract at Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia came to an end.
The Brazilian had spent three seasons in Saudi Arabia after leaving Liverpool in 2023, winning the Saudi Pro League and King’s Cup during his time at the club.
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His exit left him as a free agent, with no fee required for any club looking to sign him.
That situation has drawn interest from multiple directions, with reports throughout August tracking his next destination.
Fabinho’s departure from Al-Ittihad was described as a significant detail in transfer planning circles, given his availability without a transfer fee attached.
The 32-year-old’s next move carried extra significance given his profile at Liverpool, where he was regarded as one of the club’s most reliable midfielders during a period of major success.
Speculation intensified in the past week, with journalist Fabrizio Romano reporting that a verbal agreement had been reached for the Brazilian midfielder to join a new club as a free agent, with travel and a medical booked for the following 24 to 48 hours.
Turkish outlets followed with similar reports, indicating a deal was close to being finalised pending Fabinho’s arrival for a medical and the signing of contracts.
That destination has now been confirmed.
Trabzonspor have officially announced the signing of Fabinho on a free transfer, with the Brazilian arriving in Turkey to complete his move and greeted by supporters at Trabzon Airport.
Agent Jorge Mendes worked on the details of the deal in its final stages before the official announcement was made.
In a message to Trabzonspor fans, Fabinho said a familiar face awaited him in the city, adding that he was on his way to join the club.
Fabinho spent five seasons at Liverpool after joining from Monaco in 2018.
He made 219 appearances for the club, scoring 11 goals, and won five major honours: the Champions League in 2019, the UEFA Super Cup in 2019, the Premier League in 2019-20, the League Cup in 2022 and the FA Cup in 2022.
He left Anfield for Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023. During three seasons in Saudi Arabia, Fabinho made 111 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists, and won the Saudi Pro League and King’s Cup with the club.
Trabzonspor moved to secure his signature as they strengthened their midfield options for the new season.
The move reunites Fabinho with former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah, who joined Trabzonspor earlier this summer.
The pair played alongside each other at Liverpool for five seasons, during which Fabinho was a key figure in the side that won the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2019-20.
Salah has already made two appearances for his new club, starting with a 1-1 draw against Kasımpaşa in the Turkish league, followed by a 1-0 home defeat to Ferencváros in the first leg of Europa League qualifying.
𝐅𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐨, Trabzon’da ❤️💙#FabinhoIsComing pic.twitter.com/JEFeFomCUi
— Trabzonspor (@Trabzonspor) August 24, 2026