Manchester United Target Fabinho Says This Will Be His 'Last Season at Monaco'

Brazil midfielder Fabinho has said this will be his "last season at Monaco," although Manchester United's summer target has effectively ruled out the possibility of leaving the club during the January transfer window.

Fabinho was fervently linked with a move to join United manager Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford this past summer but remained at the Stade Louis II. However, he told French daily L'Equipe he's almost ready to leave the French Riviera (h/t Sky Sports' Husmukh Kerai):

"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.

"[As for leaving in January] I don't think so. I have had no contact [from other clubs] and I'm secure at Monaco."

Sport Witness provided more information from the interview with L'Equipe, where Fabinho went on to admit he already has an agreement in place to leave manager Leonardo Jardim's side:

Atletico Madrid were another heavyweight associated with a move for the South American, and Los Rojiblancos will be free to explore their options again once their transfer ban ends in the new year.

Asked whether the potential of a move to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium would interest him, he said: "Yes, it's a possibility, but nobody from Atletico has spoken to me or my agent. I have to demonstrate that I'm still at the level to play in teams like that. I know that I'm not the Fabinho of last season and it's hard to explain why."

The former Real Madrid loanee joined Monaco from Portuguese outfit Rio Ave in 2015 and was one of the few talismanic figures who remained at the end of last season. Fellow Ligue 1 title winners Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Kylian Mbappe have all departed for pastures new.

United eventually cooled their summer interest in Fabinho, who can play in central midfield or at right-back and recently displayed his mixed bag of abilities with a wonderful assist at Amiens in November, via Goal:

Fabinho has previously suggested United would be a club that interests him, too, and he appeared on Brazilian television channel Esporte Interativo in June, when he said (h/t Sky Sports): "It's a tempting invitation. I would first talk to my agent, Monaco too, to decide everything right. But it's a great club, sure enough, I would think well about it."

There is a problem in that regard, however, largely due to the fact United later signed Nemanja Matic from Chelsea, and Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News hinted at him filling the midfield anchor quota:

Fabinho's versatility means he may still be a realistic target for Reds chief Mourinho, who could do a lot worse if he's seeking to add further steel to his midfield and complement the likes of Paul Pogba or Ander Herrera.

The 24-year-old's early signal toward the Monaco exit shows just how adamant Fabinho seemingly is to join others in leaving the club, with Atletico likely to offer United some stiff competition in the hunt for his services.