There has been a lot of talk about Mohamed Salah’s future at Liverpool as his contract ticks down, but let’s not forget, there are two other key players at Anfield who are in the same boat.
Indeed, the Reds also have big decisions to make on Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, and if push comes to shove, the Merseyside club may need to find replacements.
Replacing Mane won’t be an easy task, but it is doable – after all, there are plenty of top-class inverted wingers out there at the moment as the role becomes more and more prominent in modern football.
However, replacing Firmino won’t be so easy.
The Brazilian is an utterly unique player, he’s a cross between a number nine and a number 10, while he can also even look like a defensive midfielder sometimes out of possession.
Where on earth are Liverpool going to find a player who can combine all of those attributes? Well, luckily, there’s a 19-year-old coming through in the Championship who would fit the bill perfectly, and Liverpool have their eye on him.
We’re talking about Fabio Carvalho.
The teenage sensation has been making waves at Fulham this season, mainly for his attacking output.
Eight goals and two assists in just 17 appearances are very impressive statistics, but his 1.2 tackles per game and his general work rate on the defensive end would make him a very interesting proposition for Liverpool.
The Reds have somewhat moved away from the false nine system since the emergence of Diogo Jota, but it’s a tactic that has served them incredibly well over the years and one that they surely don’t want to completely ditch.
If Firmino is to leave the club in the near future, then Liverpool need a player who can fill his shoes, and while it’s almost impossible to find a footballer in that mould, Carvalho could absolutely be that player if he’s coached correctly.
Carvalho is a player Liverpool already have their eye on. He’s a perfect blend between a striker and an attacking midfielder, while he’s shown at Fulham this season that he’s more than willing to track back and work hard for the team when needed.
Michael Edwards may have described Roberto Firmino as his best ever signing in the past, but Carvalho could now be the perfect replacement for the Brazilian.
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