Fabinho’s summer has taken on fresh intrigue, the kind that tends to follow established players once their futures loosen from contract and routine. Recalled by Brazil for the 2026 World Cup after spending three seasons with Al-Ittihad, the former Liverpool midfielder now finds himself back in the market as a free agent, and speaking warmly about a club he once briefly called home.
His return to Brazil’s squad raised eyebrows in some quarters, largely because his recent football has unfolded far from Europe’s weekly glare. Yet there has been substance to his time in Saudi Arabia. Fabinho helped Al-Ittihad secure successive Saudi Pro League ******* les and also lifted the King’s Cup, adding order and experience to a side built to win quickly.
That chapter has now closed. His three-year contract in Jeddah expired at the end of June, with no extension agreed, leaving the 32-year-old free to consider the next step of a career that has already taken him through several of the modern game’s most demanding environments.
When asked about the prospect of a move back to Spain by El Chiringuito TV, Fabinho did little to dampen the conversation. “Would I like to return to Real Madrid? Who wouldn’t like being at Real Madrid? It’s the best club in the world.” It was a clear enough answer, respectful in tone, but open enough to invite speculation around a possible reunion.
His history with Real Madrid is slight, but real. He joined Real Madrid Castilla from Rio Ave in 2012, became a regular for the B team in the Segunda División and worked in close proximity to José Mourinho’s senior squad. His only first-team appearance came in May 2013, when he stepped off the bench in a 6-2 win away to Malaga.
His return to Brazil’s squad raised eyebrows in some quarters, largely because his recent football has unfolded far from Europe’s weekly glare. Yet there has been substance to his time in Saudi Arabia. Fabinho helped Al-Ittihad secure successive Saudi Pro League ******* les and also lifted the King’s Cup, adding order and experience to a side built to win quickly.
That chapter has now closed. His three-year contract in Jeddah expired at the end of June, with no extension agreed, leaving the 32-year-old free to consider the next step of a career that has already taken him through several of the modern game’s most demanding environments.
When asked about the prospect of a move back to Spain by El Chiringuito TV, Fabinho did little to dampen the conversation. “Would I like to return to Real Madrid? Who wouldn’t like being at Real Madrid? It’s the best club in the world.” It was a clear enough answer, respectful in tone, but open enough to invite speculation around a possible reunion.
His history with Real Madrid is slight, but real. He joined Real Madrid Castilla from Rio Ave in 2012, became a regular for the B team in the Segunda División and worked in close proximity to José Mourinho’s senior squad. His only first-team appearance came in May 2013, when he stepped off the bench in a 6-2 win away to Malaga.
22 days ago
