Liverpool have made Fabinho their first summer signing after sealing a deal worth an initial £39.3 million with Monaco for the defensive midfielder.

Discussions were concluded on a move for the Brazil player as Anfield officials wasted little time kick-starting their recruitment plans after the Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid on Saturday. There was amusement on social media today, however, as it emerged that in the staged ‘contract signing’ photo Fabinho had in front of him a printout of a news story from the Liverpool website on headed paper.

Liverpool will lose Emre Can to Juventus after the Germany midfielder rejected offers of a new contract, and Fabinho was subsequently earmarked as the main target to strengthen that area and add competition for