Manchester United transfer target Fabinho set to leave AS Monaco next summer

Rumoured Manchester United and Manchester City transfer target Fabinho does not believe he will leave AS Monaco during the forthcoming January transfer window, although does expect to depart the defending Ligue 1 champions at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.

The versatile Brazilian international, adept at playing as a defensive midfielder or at right-back, was a vital member of Leonardo Jardim's swashbuckling young side that scored for fun last term and gained plenty of admirers across the continent as they claimed a first domestic title for 17 years - temporarily halting Paris Saint-Germain's dominance in the process - and also reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and particularly PSG were among the other European heavyweights said to be chasing Fabinho's signature after such a triumph, although the player admitted that he would be tempted by a move to Old Trafford.

Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev later confirmed there was "strong interest" from both Manchester clubs and appeared to suggest that he was more likely to move on next summer.

That understandable reluctance to sell during the previous window came as a stellar squad was predictably gutted of several influential and emerging talents including Kylian Mbappe, Benjamin Mendy, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Bernardo Silva.

Addressing the prospect of a January exit during a press conference held before Friday night's (15 December) meeting with Saint-Etienne at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Fabinho said:"I don't think so. I've had no contact and I'm secure at Monaco.

"[But] ordinarily, it's my last season at Monaco. Nothing is signed. During the transfer window, and even a month afterwards, it was a little difficult to live with the situation. But I don't think about it anymore, I've turned the page."

Pressed on the potential for Atletico to renew their interest in the New Year, he added: "Yes, that's a possibility, though no one from Atletico has contacted me or my agent."

Fabinho, who says he has a verbal agreement with Monaco's president to leave at the end of the season, claimed it was "difficult to explain" why he had thus far been unable to reach the same heady heights as last term, admitting that the problem was possibly more mental than physical. He is also downbeat about his chances at winning back a place in Tite's Brazil squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Whether United or dominant City plan to revisit their interest in Fabinho remains to be seen. Jose Mourinho, who previously coached him at Real Madrid, satisfied his desire for a new central midfielder by reuniting with Nemanaja Matic, although further reinforcements in that area could be required with both Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini out of contract in June and Ander Herrera mentioned in connection with a possible return to Spain.

The Portuguese is also believed to be looking to strengthen his full-back options due to various misgivings over Luke Shaw, Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian, which could make Fabinho a very valuable option.

Guardiola already raided Monaco for both Silva and Mendy over the summer and is now known to be prioritising further defensive additions amid links to the likes of Southampton's Virgil van Dijk and Inigo Martinez of Real Sociedad.