Kevin Campbell has claimed that Liverpool should now be worried about obtaining the services of Fulham star Fabio Carvalho after their move for the teenager fell through on deadline day.
The Reds had agreed on a deal for the Lisbon-born talent and were set to send the attacking midfielder back to Craven Cottage for the remainder of the season but it’s reported that the relevant paperwork was not submitted in time and the deal was therefore not completed.
“I think that’s the worry for Liverpool now, a lot of clubs will be interested in the summer. They wanted to do the business before anyone else could get mitts on him,” the former Everton striker told Football Insider (via Football365).
“They put an offer in to him and his agent but it just was not meant to be. Liverpool will be slightly frustrated. They have found it a difficult task signing him so far.
“It was never going to be easy given Carvalho’s contract situation. He’s a brilliant player and there’ll be plenty of clubs coveting him.
“Liverpool will be happy though, they got one in and a very good one at that. I think [Luis] Diaz will do well.”
Of course, the signing of Luis Diaz from Porto is an exciting one and we can’t wait to see him in a Red shirt, but if Carvalho was to have signed too, that would’ve represented an extremely successful window for the club.
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His contract at the Championship club does expire at the end of the season and you’d therefore assume that our interest will remain in the summer, but other clubs will now be licking their lips at the prospect of signing one of the countries biggest talents for free.
Only time will tell – for now we need to focus on the second half of the season and our push to win four trophies.
Fulham will be entitled to compensation in the summer, so he’s not free. If the club that sign him cannot agree a fee with Fulham then it goes to tribunal. And the tribunal fee will be less than what we were offering Fulham.
At the end of the day, Carvalho will choose where to go and if he prefers a team other than Liverpool then so be it. But if his mind is set on Liverpool, I suspect a fee will be agreed between the clubs. Liverpool want to maintain a good relationship with Fulham, seeing as they are producing such talennted players.