Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, in his pre-FA Cup fourth round presser, confirmed the club’s interest in signing 18-year-old Fulham midfielder Fabio Carvalho. The German also set a date for Harvey Elliott’s return, who has been out of action since September after receiving an ankle injury.
The Reds failed with a deadline day move for Carvalho despite agreeing to a fee with the Cottagers. Paperwork stopped what would have been a transfer in the region of 8 million pounds – including add-ons and a future sell-on clause – keeping the Portuguese at Craven Cottage until June.
“I don’t know. We will see. We are obviously still interested, it would be crazy if we are not. It’s obviously not in our hands. It was late before the deadline and it didn’t work out. We will see what happens,”
he told the club’s media.
Carvalho snubbed a new contract at Fulham weeks earlier, making it imperative for the Londoners to sell him in the bygone window or risk letting the case go to a tribunal. However, as per ESPN, the two clubs are hopeful over negotiating a summer transfer without there being a need for third-party intervention.
In a case not too dissimilar to this one, Liverpool signed Harvey Elliott from Fulham – aged 16 – in 2019. The youngster spent the 2020/21 season at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, accumulating crucial minutes, before returning to Merseyside to prepare for the subsequent season as part of Klopp’s first team.
An ankle injury four games into the current season sidelined the youngster for a considerable period, but he could be set to make his return against Cardiff City in the FA Cup – Klopp has confirmed.
“Very impressed with his rehabilitation. Harvey was the perfect client, he did pretty much everything we told him. He is in a good place, we have to see if it’s right for him to start or come on but he’ll definitely be in the squad for the Cardiff game,”
the German said.
Liverpool take on Cardiff City on February 6, before facing Leicester City in the Premier League four days later.
