Liverpool are keeping a close eye on any potential developments regarding the situation of Fulham’s Fabio Carvalho, as reported by The Athletic.
At the age of 19, Carvalho has already attracted plenty of attention with excellent performances for the Cottagers this season. Primarily an attacking midfielder, deployed in the No.10 role behind striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, he is quite capable of causing defences problems from either flank, or playing slightly deeper as a box-to-box runner. This season, the young Portuguese has had eight goals and two assists in 18 appearances in all competitions.
Carvalho appears to tick a lot of boxes for Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, and the Merseysiders already have great experience in picking talent off Fulham. In 2019, they signed Harvey Elliott for their Under-18 side, and he is now a regular member of the first-team squad at the age of 18. He even started three of the opening four Premier League matches this term, until he got his ankle broken by Leeds’ Pascal Struijk. Elliott is now back in full training and is expected to be in contention after the upcoming international break.
Meanwhile, Carvalho’s contract with Fulham expires at the end of the season, which means the Championship club will have no power to prevent his departure should he wish to follow in Elliott’s footsteps. Head coach Marco Silva is hopeful the youngster’s advisors will ‘advise him the right way’, as he put it, but the club are expecting the player’s camp to clarify his intentions soon.
Despite his contract expiring, Liverpool would still have to pay a compensation fee which needs to be agreed between the clubs, and if not, it would be set by a tribunal.
Apart from the 19-time English champions, clubs from Italy, France and Spain (including Barcelona) are believed to be holding an interest in Carvalho’s talents.
