Liverpool's Fabinho Backs Chelsea Star for Success Despite Difficult First Premier League Season

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho has backed former Monaco teammates Tiemoue Bakayoko to return a better player if he is to get a second chance in the Premier League after a disappointing debut season at Chelsea saw him shipped out on loan to AC Milan in August.

Chelsea spent around £40m to buy Bakayoko off the back off a fine 2016/17 campaign for Monaco in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, while happily letting Nemanja Matic join Manchester United for a similar price.

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Bakayoko didn't reach the same level at Stamford Bridge and started only four Premier League games after January in what was a difficult season for the club as a whole.

"I don't think he struggled that much. I watched a few games and he seemed always good to me," Fabhino argued in favour of his ex-midfield partner while speaking to Yahoo! Sport.

"Obviously, in your first season in a new club it's always difficult and I wasn't expecting him to leave, but AC Milan are getting a great player," he added.

"I'm sure he'll be able to prove how good he is and show what he did at Monaco. I'm sure if he comes back to England he will be stronger and will show everyone what he's capable of."

Fabinho himself is yet to make an impact in England since a £39m switch to Liverpool.

The 24-year-old is curiously yet to play a single Premier League game and hasn't even been selected in Jurgen Klopp's matchday squad since the opening weekend of the season over a month ago.

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Speaking last week, Klopp suggested that Fabinho has needed 'time to adapt' and has so far been left out because 'others are already used to it'.