Liverpool could soon have a crunch decision to make regarding one player currently at Anfield.
Fabio Carvalho was one of the biggest winners from the Reds’ pre-season tour to USA, scoring in the wins over Arsenal and Manchester United as he put his hand up for frequent inclusion during the upcoming campaign.
The 21-year-old has already been the recipient of an unsuccessful £15m bid from Southampton, and Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday evening that Leicester have also joined the race for the young attacker.
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Lewis Steele, Merseyside football reporter for the Daily Mail, believes that Liverpool will eventually cash in on the player due to the intense competition for a starting berth in the role that Arne Slot envisions for him at Anfield.
The journalist said of Carvalho on X: “Suspect he will end up going due to options ahead of him as Slot has told him he is a left winger. Had a very good tour and will be a shrewd signing for someone.”
Right now, the decision on Carvalho’s future seems a difficult one for Liverpool to call. His stock is very much on the rise after the U.S. tour, but is he simply too far back in the queue for the left winger berth if that where Slot sees him on the pitch?
We already have Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz vying for that position, while Diogo Jota can also play on that flank, and our welcome return to the Champions League means that opportunities won’t be as abundant for squad players as they were last autumn when we were competing in the Europa League.
With multiple clubs showing a firm interest in the 21-year-old, the Reds may yet be in a position to set off something of a bidding war and drive offers towards their valuation of the player, which is believed to be in the region of £21.5m-£26m (CaughtOffside).
On the one hand, we’d love to see what Carvalho could do at Liverpool if given a full season in which to showcase his talents. On the other, it may be difficult for Richard Hughes to turn away bids of £25m+ if they were to arrive for a youngster who still has a lot to prove at Anfield.
It’s a decision that we’re very glad we don’t have to make and can leave in the hands of trusted professionals!