This article is part of Football FanCast's Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news...

The Telegraph is reporting that Liverpool want to extend Fabinho's contract at Anfield.

What's the story?

The 26-year-old joined the Reds from AS Monaco last term for a fee of £43.7m. Since then, he has gone on to make 58 appearances for the club.

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Such has been the level of his displays, it is now being said that Jurgen Klopp and Co want to extend his contract with the Merseyside outfit.

Finally a Mascherano replacement

Clearly, the nine-time Brazil international has made a big impact. He already has a contract until 2023, after all, so it is not as though there is any urgent need to get him committed to a new long-term deal in order to convince him to stay with the team.

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Liverpool have not had the best of luck in the past decade when it comes to defensive midfielders. Javier Mascherano was arguably the Reds' last great defensive midfielder - for example, he averaged an astonishing 5.2 tackles per game in his final full season before moving to Barcelona, whilst Pepe Reina admitted that the club had a "big problem" in replacing him - and, ever since he left, a host of players have come in to try to replace him.

However, they have failed to match the required standard. Jordan Henderson has perhaps been the most successful, but he has spent most of his time on the pitch for Liverpool further forward in central midfield according to those Joe Allen and Emre Can were unable to cement their place as the first-choice defensive midfielder, whilst Christian Poulsen is a signing many would rather forget.

Fabinho, though, may just be two-time Champions League winner Mascherano's successor. He has been called the best in the world in his position by Gary Neville (Sky Sports via This is Anfield), whilst he has also earned the nickname "Dyson" in homage of the famous vacuum cleaner thanks to his ability to clean up in front of the back four. It seems as though he has already made the position his own, having made 17 appearances in the role this campaign. Giving him a new deal is exactly what he deserves.

Meanwhile, this Liverpool youngster could facilitate Trent Alexander-Arnold's transition into midfield.