Transfer Centre

Liverpool 'receive permanent bid for Fabio Carvalho'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 29 May 2023

Liverpool reportedly receive a bid from a foreign club hoping to sign Portuguese attacker Fabio Carvalho on a permanent deal this summer.

An unnamed foreign club have reportedly come forward with a bid to sign Liverpool attacker Fabio Carvalho on a permanent deal.

The 20-year-old earned a summer move to Anfield last year after making a name for himself at Fulham, having a direct hand in 18 Championship goals in the 2021-22 campaign to propel the Cottagers back into the Premier League.

Liverpool paid a mere £5.1m to bring Carvalho to Merseyside, and the Portugal Under-21 international initially made a positive impression, scoring in back-to-back games against Bournemouth and Newcastle United in August.

However, Carvalho's fortunes have since taken a turn for the worse, as he has played just eight minutes of Premier League football since the World Cup, most recently being offered six minutes as a substitute in their 3-0 win at Leicester City on May 15.

The arrival of Cody Gakpo and returns to fitness of Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have all restricted Carvalho's game time, and he ended his debut campaign with three goals from 22 matches in all tournaments, having also netted in December's EFL Cup loss to Manchester City.

Fabio Carvalho celebrates scoring for Liverpool against Manchester City in the EFL Cup on December 22, 2022 © Reuters

The 2002-born attacker is contracted to Jurgen Klopp's side for another four years, but according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have been approached by a foreign club hoping to sign him permanently.

It is unclear where the club is based or how much Liverpool have been offered, but neither the Reds nor Carvalho have made a decision on the player's future as internal talks continue.

Romano adds that a plethora of Premier League clubs are in the race to sign Carvalho on loan, but the Portuguese youngster has not accepted any of them, and the sporting project will be key to his next career move.

Klopp - who is said to be aware of Carvalho's intentions - was asked about the 20-year-old's future in the build-up to their final-day clash with Southampton, and he admitted that a loan deal could be on the cards for the 2023-24 season, but he did not entertain the idea of a permanent departure.

"I forgot Fabio Carvalho when I spoke about the young players [before]... I think now just because there is a possibility that maybe Fabio will go on loan, or whatever," Klopp told reporters.

Liverpool's Fabio Carvalho celebrates scoring their second goal with teammates on August 31, 2022 © Reuters

"We will see that. The thing is, this was not Fabio's best year in his career, clear, in a young career, but it might've been his most important. No player has impressed me more than Fabio. That's the truth, because this very talented boy came here with big dreams and big expectations.

"It was OK in the beginning, but it didn't work out in the end. His work ethic will give him a fantastic career because he trained getting nothing, and for a player you have only one present each week: you line me up, if you don't do that, take me in the squad.

"It's my only chance to satisfy a player. If I don't do that, it's about the player and how he reacts and his reactions in a row [I] never saw before. Unbelievable. I'm not sure if he goes on loan, or whatever, if we keep him, we will see that."

Carvalho was an unused substitute for the 18th time in the 2022-23 Premier League campaign at St Mary's on Sunday, as Liverpool ended a tumultuous season with an enthralling 4-4 draw against the Championship-bound Saints.

The Reds are already confirmed to be losing Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on free transfers this summer, while Arthur will return to Juventus having not made a single Premier League appearance during his loan spell.