Liverpool reporter Carl Markham has shared a somewhat pessimistic update on the Reds’ pursuit of Fulham’s Fabio Carvalho.
The lowdown
Sky Sports’ Vinny O’Connor reported on Sunday that Liverpool had tabled a £5m bid for the Fulham starlet, and Fabrizio Romano followed that up by revealing that Jurgen Klopp’s side would hold fresh talks with the Cottagers on Monday morning.
According to Markham, though, it’s ‘now or never’ for Liverpool as the clock winds down towards the transfer deadline.
Carvalho is out of contract at the end of the current season, so the transfer fee would be determined by a tribunal if the 19-year-old leaves in the summer. The club know that any European suitors would be ‘in a much stronger position’ to snap him up at that point.
The latest
Markham tweeted at 11am Monday morning: “As it currently stands completing a deal for Fabio Carvalho today looks less likely than it may have done 24 hours ago.”
This followed on from an earlier tweet of: “Seems like it is now or never in @LFC’s chase of Fulham’s Fabio Carvalho. Club not keen to go through the compensation tribunal process again in the summer, especially with European clubs in a much stronger position to sign player for a fraction of cost of any fee set by a panel”.
The verdict
How much will Liverpool push for Carvalho? Does they view this as an opportunity they can’t afford to miss? That’s what we’ll find out in the coming hours.
Liverpool have already offered Fulham some concessions, reportedly agreeing to send him back to west London on loan for the remainder of the season so that he can aid the Cottagers’ promotion push. On top of that, though, they may need to fork out more money.
You wonder if Fulham are adding a premium to their demands after receiving just £1.7m for Harvey Elliott in 2019. Indeed, his Transfermarkt value has since risen to £13.5m, so the Championship leaders may have wised up after the last time they sold a teenage starlet to Liverpool.
In other news, Neil Jones dropped several transfer claims on the morning of Deadline Day.
