FABIO CARVALHO: HOW UNDER THE RADAR SIGNING CAN PROVE KEY FOR LIVERPOOL

Fabio Carvalho has officially been unveiled as Liverpool’s new number 28. Check out this article we wrote a week ago detailing just what he can bring on board for Jürgen Klopp’s side.

It was on deadline day in the January transfer window that Liverpool’s move for Fulham starlet Fabio Carvalho fell through. Back then we looked at all you needed to know about the Portuguese born attacking midfielder.

The 19 year old continued at the London outfit and continued to play a major role in securing promotion back to the Premier League. Marco Silva’s side won the Championship in style, with their blend of attacking football captivating audiences.

Carvalho was deservedly recognised at the end of the season, seeing him named in the PFA Sky Bet Championship Team of the Year after narrowly missing out on the Young Player of the Year award to Nottingham Forest’s precocious attacker Brennan Johnson.

It was an unbelievable follow up season for Carvalho after debuting in the previous campaign in the dying embers of Fulham’s relegation from the Premier League. He established himself as one of the very best players in the Championship with a string of stellar displays.

Liverpool reached an agreement with Fulham for the 19 year old last month which negated the need for a tribunal. Both clubs were keen to avoid that particular haggle after the strenuous process to determine Harvey Elliott’s value when he made the move to Merseyside.

The Carvalho deal has flown under the radar a bit this summer, with the record breaking move for Darwin Nunez dominating the conversation amongst fans. Darwin (who turned 23 today) will have to carry the burden of expectation on his young shoulders.

Even Calvin Ramsay (who sealed his move to Liverpool last week) seems to be at the forefront of most fans’ consciousness than Carvalho. The Scottish youth international struck a confident tone in his first interview with the club upon his unveiling.

His role is clear cut as an attacking right back. His mandate is straightforward; to provide cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold. The same can be said of Darwin who looks destined to spearhead Jürgen Klopp’s new look attack.

For Carvalho, it is not so simply spelled out. His natural position is behind the striker as the number ten, but with the manager not deploying that role in his preferred 4-3-3, many wonder how exactly the talented Portuguese youth international will be utilised.

Carvalho may not have garnered the same level of attention as the Reds’ other summer signings but that doesn’t say anything about the impact he could have on this team. That he has yet to be officially unveiled or pictured in a red shirt has contributed to him flying under the radar.

Nothing beats that new signing feeling during the summer. The sight of a fresh face rocking the latest Liverpool kit whilst leaning on walls at the training ground has the propensity to whip the fanbase into a frenzy.

The club is waiting for Carvalho to officially become a Red on July 1st (out of respect for Fulham) before unveiling him. Until then, the youngster will keep flying under the radar and will continue to be left out of many a preferred lineup on fan sites and online pages.

This could all be to his advantage as he would start his Liverpool career with little to no pressure. Make no mistake though, this is an exciting signing that adds to the club’s stable of talented players under the age of 23.

Carvalho registered 11 goals and 8 assists in 38 appearances across all competitions for Fulham last season. He created 63 chances whilst completing 43 successful dribbles. He possesses the flair to unlock defences and the nous to get on the end of chances in and around the box.

He could offer a solution to the Reds’ relative lack of penetration through the middle as compared to the flanks. He showcased glimpses of his ability in the FA Cup against Manchester City where a third man run into the box saw him finish off a swift counter attack to give Fulham the lead.

If the manager opts to start more matches with a 4-2-3-1 setup this campaign, Carvalho is tailor made for that number ten role. He could strike up a similar partnership with Darwin Nunez as he managed with Aleksandr Mitrovic.

He would likely be rotated with Roberto Firmino in this role, with the Brazilian another natural fit in the hole. The 19 year old can also do a job in any of the front three positions in a 4-3-3, and we’re not discounting a transformation into a central midfielder either.

Harvey Elliott went through a similar journey last pre-season. The manager has loads of options and will relish working with the 19 year old to bring out the very best in him. Klopp could be shifting away from his tried and tested false nine and three central midfielders setup.

The arrival of Fabio Carvalho and Darwin Nunez points to a subtle tweak to the system, with further evolution of the playing style required. Carvalho could be the closest thing we’ve had to Coutinho since the Brazilian left in 2018.

Should he show what he’s capable of this season, he will fly under the radar no more.