Portuguese midfielder Fabio Carvalho, who showed outstanding attacking ability and talent in the Champions League during his time at Fulham, made the long-awaited step up in the summer of 2022 and joined Liverpool, where he had a chance to prove himself in the first half of that season.
However, he spent the second half of the season warming the bench, and this season he moved to RB Leipzig on loan. However, he did not get much action in the Bundesliga, and Liverpool, concerned about his situation, recalled him and sent him on loan to Hull City.
He started immediately after his move to the Championship and has been very successful so far, scoring nine goals and providing two assists. He has shown his true colours in the familiar number 10 position and is expected to compete for a regular place at Liverpool next season with a new manager.
Under Jurgen Klopp, he has not had a favourite position and has been used as a left winger, but he has made his true feelings known that he does not like playing in a wide position. He expressed his hope to be used at number 10 next season, as he is at his current club.
“I prefer playing as a 10. Playing out wide, I can do a job there but it’s not my natural position,”
“I’m not like Lucho Diaz. I can play there but I’m more of a number 10.”
“That’s where I like playing, that’s where I enjoy playing. That’s kind of where I’m playing here (at Hull City). I get a lot of freedom to drop in, to do what is expected of me and what I like doing.”
“I get that freedom from the manager. That’s what I want and that’s all I need, which is the trust. Because if you don’t have the trust, you don’t play with confidence. If you don’t have confidence, it’s nothing.”
Liverpool Echo
With the change of coach, the formation could also change.Pre-season will reveal if there is a position the Portuguese U-23 midfielder likes, but at just 21 years of age, there is no reason to let a player go who has plenty of time left to develop his talent.
Can the attacking midfielder, with his extraordinary potential, perform as well at Anfield next season as he is now…?