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Five transfer options for Fabio Carvalho after making Liverpool frustrations clear
Fabio Carvalho has endured a challenging first season at Liverpool after joining from Fulham and could now end up leaving Anfield in the summer transfer window
Liverpool’s struggles in the Premier League this season came off the back of an unsuccessful transfer window, and one of their new signings has made clear his frustrations.
Fabio Carvalho joined the Reds as part of what looked like a targeted summer rebuild, with Mohamed Salah’s long-term contract seeing the club push for fewer drastic changes. None of the four arrivals set the world alight, though, with Darwin Nunez underperforming in front of goal while Calvin Ramsay and Arthur missed most of the campaign through injury.
Things started better for Carvalho, who endeared himself to fans with a last-gasp winner against Newcastle, but he ended the season out of favour. After playing just 13 Premier League games all season, and just eight minutes in the competition after the World Cup, the Portugal under-21 international has made clear exactly how he feels.
“All I do now,” Carvalho wrote in reply to a message on his Instagram post describing him as a “next top model” after a photoshoot. Some have read this as frustration with his lack of minutes, while he also hinted at having a new home “soon”.
“I think there is a possibility that maybe Fabio will go on loan or whatever,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said after the final game of the season, where the 20-year-old was an unused sub yet again. “We will see. The thing is, this was not Fabio’s best year of his career, clearly, in a very young career, but it might have been his most important.”
Where he might go, however, is a different question. Here Mirror Football looks at some options for the youngster, whether for a loan or a permanent exit.
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RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig are said to have made a permanent approach for Carvalho. However, their offer was not entertained by Liverpool, who appear open to a loan but less eager to sanction a permanent exit.
The German side are coming off an up-and down season of their own. Domenico Tedesco was sacked just weeks into the season, but successor Marco Rose managed to drag the team into the Champions League spots.
Leipzig are set to lose Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea this summer, and Rose is expected to be busy integrating reinforcements. If the German side decide a loan suits them then their interest could be revived.
Brighton
Brighton have done business with Liverpool in the past, and may well do it again. Adam Lallana moved from Anfield to the south coast in 2020, and James Milner has been tipped to do the same this summer.
Could Carvalho make it three? The Seagulls have had success loaning in youngsters from ‘big six’ clubs, with Levi Colwill the most recent example.
Of course, after Roberto De Zerbi’s side finished just a place behind Liverpool last term, they might be considered too much of a rival going into the new campaign. Brighton and Liverpool could end up facing off in the Europa League if both sides make it into the latter stages of the competition.
Union Berlin
Another team preparing for Europe after a solid domestic campaign is Union Berlin. Urs Fischer’s side claimed fourth spot in the Bundesliga thanks to a final day victory over Werder Bremen, pipping Freiburg to the post.
Leipzig’s interest suggests at least one club expects Carvalho to thrive in the Bundesliga, and Klopp may well agree. Union have dealt with Liverpool in the past, too, loaning in Taiwo Awoniyi before later signing the striker permanently.
Carvalho made four appearances for Liverpool in the Champions League this season, including the full 90 as Klopp’s team won 7-1 away to Rangers. More minutes in that competition surely wouldn’t hurt.
Fulham
They say you should never go back, but perhaps, sometimes, you should. Carvalho excelled for Fulham as they came up from the Championship, and a return to Marco Silva’s side – if only for a season – could help reenergise him.
He hit double-figures during that promotion campaign, working well to support the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic in attack. That was the same number as Harry Wilson, who earned semi-regular minutes in the top flight this season.
Fulham have added to their squad in the interim, with Willian and Manor Solomon both joining last summer. However, with Solomon attracting interest from elsewhere, a return for Carvalho doesn’t look like the worst idea.
Benfica
Speaking of going back, Benfica had Carvalho on their books long before the player’s family moved to England. After switching from England to Portugal at under-21 international level, might he entertain the idea of doing the same at club level?
Benfica held off the challenge of Porto to reclaim the Primeira Liga title, beating Santa Clara in their season closer to make sure. That means a return to the Champions League, where they’ll want to forget the disappointment of losing to Inter Milan in the round of 16 this time.
The champions brought academy product Goncalo Guedes back on loan in January, though injury has cast doubt on a permanent return for the Wolves man at this stage. With the £105m Enzo Fernandez fee burning a hole in their pockets, what odds on a move for another man with ties to the Estadio Da Luz?
