Fabio Carvalho made the move to Liverpool in the summer transfer window, a move that was highly anticipated after his impressive performances for Fulham in the Championship last season as the Whites romped to the league title.
Carvalho was described as ‘special’ off the back of that season and it looked like the world was at his feet.
However, Carvalho’s time at Liverpool isn’t going to plan.
The 20-year-old midfielder has played just three Premier League minutes since October, and Liverpool are currently below his former club Fulham in the league table.
In hindsight, it appears that Carvalho’s decision to join Liverpool may not have been the best choice for his development as he struggles for minutes.
In contrast, Marco Silva had Carvalho as one of his key players at Fulham, and he played almost every week, and he likely would have had a similar sort of role this season at Craven Cottage.
Fulham don’t necessarily miss Carvalho due to the brilliance of Andreas Pereira, but if he’d stayed, he’d surely have had a place in the side.
Meanwhile, with Liverpool, he has struggled to break into the first team and is yet to make a significant impact. This lack of playing time has undoubtedly hindered his development, and he may have been better off staying at Fulham where he could have continued to play regularly.
Another reason why Carvalho may have made the wrong decision is that he doesn’t fit into Jurgen Klopp’s preferred 4-3-3 system. Klopp has admitted that Carvalho is not happy with his current situation, and it’s clear that the young midfielder doesn’t really have a place in this team. Carvalho has always been best used as a number 10 or a second-striker, but Klopp has never played a formation that fits that role since his arrival at Liverpool.
Furthermore, Liverpool’s current league position has only added to Carvalho’s struggles. The team is currently below Fulham in the table, and this is not the kind of environment that promotes development of young players as Liverpool’s entire squad struggle for confidence.
Overall, it’s clear that Carvalho’s move to Liverpool may not have been the best decision for his development. While it’s understandable that a player of his talents would want to play for a top-tier team, it seems as though he made this move too early in his career.
Carvalho would have been better off staying at Fulham, where he could have continued to play regularly and develop his skills in a more forgiving environment.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
