Journalist Christian Falk opens up on the challenges facing Liverpool loanee Fabio Carvalho at RB Leipzig
German outlet BILD’s journalist Christian Falk, via Caught Offside‘s weekly column (h/t Liverpool Echo), has provided the reason why Fabio Carvalho’s loan spell with RB Leipzig isn’t meeting Liverpool’s expectations.
The Reds’ pursuit of signing the versatile attacker extended over two different transfer windows in 2022. The club initially attempted to secure the former Fulham player’s signing in January, but they had to wait until the summer to finalise the deal.
Carvalho’s arrival generated huge excitement at Anfield due to his outstanding performances during Fulham’s promotion-winning season. The Portuguese had a standout season at Craven Cottage, scoring 10 goals and providing eight assists in the Championship while consistently troubling opposing defences.
However, the 21-year-old’s first season with Liverpool was rather disappointing. While he did score a memorable injury-time winner against Newcastle, there were very few decent performances by the youngster. In fact, the winger played only 638 minutes across all competitions last season.
RB Leipzig expressed interest in the summer, initially making a £10 million offer, which was rejected. They ultimately secured Carvalho on loan. The Bundesliga club had initially aimed to include an option to buy Carvalho in his loan deal, but the Merseyside club declined this request.
However, the versatile player has faced a lot of struggles in Germany, having made only three substitute appearances so far. He has not even been named on the bench for Leipzig’s other three matches this season.
According to journalist Falk, Leipzig coach Marco Rose has a specific position in mind for Carvalho as a left-sided attacker. However, this position is currently occupied by Dani Olmo. Although the Spaniard is currently injured, Rose has opted for more experienced players over the Liverpool star, and this choice has not worked in the player’s favor. He said:
“In Fabio Carvalho’s position, Dani Olmo normally plays. He’s injured but there are other more experienced players available like Emil Forsberg and Christoph Baumgartner, so it’s not easy for him. It’s hard for him at the moment, as there’s plenty of competition.”
Jurgen Klopp’s side had different expectations when allowing Carvalho to go on loan, and having him spend most of his time on the bench is not what they had in mind.
In the absence of a central attacking midfield position, the former Fulham star would need to adjust to playing either as part of the front three or as one of the midfield three in order to find a place in the team.
Adding to the challenge, Liverpool have brought in four new midfielders during the summer transfer window, and both Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliot have been delivering strong performances. Breaking into Liverpool’s starting lineup seems like a daunting task for Carvalho, especially with the limited substitute appearances he’s had in Germany so far.
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While it’s early in the season, injuries and European competitions will likely provide opportunities for the attacker to showcase his talent. However, fans may grow unhappy if he remains an outcast on the team as the months go by, given his immense quality.
The Reds have helped several youngsters get the best out of themselves in loan spells. Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah are perfect examples of that. The fans will hope that manager Marco Rose will provide Carvalho with the opportunity to make a starting appearance in their upcoming matches.
This could be the chance for the winger to show the skills that led Liverpool to sign him in the first place.
