Monaco Star Fabinho Reveals How Close He Was to Man City, PSG Moves

Fabinho nearly joined the mass exodus of star power from Champions League semifinalist AS Monaco.

Monaco star Fabinho has revealed how close he came to leaving for either Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

The midfielder spoke to Brazilian news publication Globo Esporte about the significant interest in his services after he enjoyed a stellar campaign for the reigning Ligue 1 champions last term.

Both City and PSG were touted among the favorites, alongside Man United, to land Fabinho during the 2016 summer transfer window and, in quotes attributed to the 25-year-old, he explained how his move away was blocked by his current club as they sought to keep him.

He said: “I was very close to one of them, but Monaco blocked me a little and didn’t want to let me out, claiming that I was an important player for the team. So, as much as I wanted to leave, I did everything to get out, I could not.”

City appeared to comfortably in front of PSG at the head of the queue to sign Fabinho - but he revealed that it wasn't Pep Guardiola's current Premier League leaders who appeared set to land him.

He continued: “Yeah. [The bid] was to stay in French football.”

That comment all but confirms that PSG would have snapped Fabinho up from under City's noses but, with the French heavyweights already tying up a move for former teammate Kylian Mbappe, they chose not to let another star leave for the same team.

With his earlier statements about wanting to leave still fresh in the memory, Globo Esporte asked if Fabinho had any desire to leave Stade Louis II either in January or this coming summer, and he was unequivocal in his answer.

He added: “I have no thought of leaving now. The team would also hardly let me go, just for a very unusual sum of money. I will work. Maybe in the summer market there will be other opportunities.

“If good things come up like they did last year I’m going to sit down to talk to the club and see if we can find a way that pleases all parties.”