Fulham manager Marco Silva doesn’t want to lose reported Liverpool target Fabio Carvalho. The 19-year-old is out of contract in the summer and has been linked with a move to The Reds, in TeamTalk.
But Silva has warned the youngster that he could be making the jump too soon.
“He (Carvalho) has to keep his feet on the floor, and so do the people around him. Sometimes you want to make a step bigger than your leg can take. Sometimes you are making a big mistake,” said Silva as per The Express.
“A football career is not just one moment – you have to prepare for the future. Fabio is a clever boy, who wants to be at the top. I hope the people advising him are doing it the right way.”
The former Everton manager was speaking after his side dismantled Birmingham City 6-2 on Tuesday night. Carvalho was superb in that game. The Portuguese born youngster bagged a couple of goals and laid on an assist.
Harvey Elliott 2.0
There are similarities in Carvalho’s case to Liverpool’s pursuit of Harvey Elliott.
Elliott was signed back in 2019 as a 16-year-old after his Fulham contract expired. Carvalho, who bears a striking resemblance to Phillippe Coutinho, has a contract that’s due to run out at the end of this season. Despite attempts from the London club, he is yet to commit to a new one.
Liverpool could pay Fulham up to £4.3m for Elliott. The fee was determined at a tribunal last year. A similar process would take place if Liverpool were to sign Carvalho as a free agent in the summer.
Elliott’s move have so far proved to be a success. The now 18-year-old looks ready to play a big role for Jurgen Klopp in the second half of the season.
But Silva’s words are a reminder that transfers to top teams don’t always work out for young players.
From a Liverpool perspective Carvalho is easy to get excited about. He would join a raft of promising young players at the club as Liverpool look to build for the future. He scored on his Premier League debut last year and has seven goals in the Championship this season.