Manchester United target Fabinho expresses desire to leave Monaco

Monaco midfielder Fabinho has suggested that he wants to leave the Stade Louis II before the transfer window closes, saying he has made club bosses aware of his intentions.

The 23-year-old has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, but Monaco are reluctant to lose another first-team player after selling Tiemoue Bakayoko, Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy.

The Brazilian midfielder, who can also play at right-back, said earlier in the summer that he was "tempted" by the idea of moving to Old Trafford.

"I feel good, there is nothing to say about my situation, the club knows my will," Fabinho was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail after Monaco's 4-1 win over Dijon.

"I hope we will continue this way and that Monaco will still be okay."

Monaco vice president Vadim Vasilyev has categorically ruled out selling more players after the exits of Bakayoko, Silva and Mendy.

Winger Thomas Lemar has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal, while teenage striker Kylian Mbappe has been linked with Real Madrid.

"We have kept all of the key players that we intended to keep," Vasilyev said.

"Fabinho is a must-have player in midfield who was being courted by all the major clubs. I will also address speculation about Lemar: he is staying with us. We have discussed this.

"We must not await further departures, rather arrivals."

Lemar scored nine goals in 34 Ligue 1 appearances to help Monaco win the domestic title last season. He has three years left on his contract at the French club.

Lemar's father said in an interview in April that his son planned on staying at Monaco for two more seasons.

"We are of the belief that logically the plan is [getting more] playing time, which is what he has at Monaco," Edwige Lemar told Ouest France.

"Sometimes there are financial parameters that do not fit into that, but I think that the aim is to do another year or two with Monaco."