Liverpool new boy Fabio Carvalho could be set to play a key role at Anfield when the new Premier League season gets underway after receiving a first-team squad number upon his arrival on Merseyside. Carvalho recently joined the Reds on a permanent deal from Fulham after excelling in the Championship over the course of the previous campaign and looks to be set for a bright future at the highest levels of the sport.
The 19-year-old was officially unveiled as a Liverpool player on Sunday after finalising the details of his move from Fulham a number of months ago. He was immediately handed the No 28 shirt, which has previously been worn by the likes of Danny Ings and a young Steven Gerrard at Anfield.
The decision suggests that Carvalho could be set for a first-team role when the upcoming season kicks off, with the majority of Liverpool’s young players having been given considerably higher numbers. Kaide Gordon, for example, wears No 49 while Neco Williams has sported No 76 since graduating from the club’s academy back in 2019.
It seems as though Carvalho is viewed differently by those in power on Merseyside, though, after establishing himself as one of the Championship’s finest teenage stars during his time at Fulham. Jurgen Klopp has already spoken of his admiration for the Portuguese forward, who he believes will have the qualities required to shine at Anfield if he continues to develop well over the coming years.
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“What a talent he is, hey? A player who can bring a stadium to its feet,” Klopp told Liverpool’s official website. “He puts his personality into his performances, he is confident and adventurous with the ball, and he wants to make things happen.
“He is a versatile player for sure and is very much an attacking threat with his creativity and dynamism. It was a wonderful season for Fulham last year and Fabio was a worthy winner of the individual recognition he got as a result of that.
“It doesn’t really need saying, but it is worth reminding everyone that he will of course need patience. It’s a step up, but one we know he is more than capable of making, which is why we were so keen for so long to sign him for Liverpool.”
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Carvalho, meanwhile, has admitted that he fielded plenty of interest from different clubs before settling on Liverpool after engaging in positive talks with Klopp, who was a deciding factor in shaping his eventual move to Anfield.
“I had a bit of interest from a lot of clubs but I didn’t let that get to my head because obviously I had a season to focus on,” he said.
“Once you hear that Liverpool are interested, there’s only one thought in your mind, which is to join them and try to be in and around the team. Hopefully I can achieve big things.
“I spoke with everyone, and the manager, and it just felt so natural. When things become natural it’s just so much easier to make a decision.”
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