Liverpool sign 19-year-old striker Fabio Carvalho from Fulham on a £7.7m deal as he becomes Jurgen Klopp’s first signing of the summer – and he WON’T be loaned out next season
- Fabio Carvalho will join Liverpool on July 1 from newly-promoted Fulham
- The striker played a key role in the Cottagers’ promotion to the Premier League
- The Reds have no intention of loaning back to Fulham despite him being only 19
- The Portuguese aided Fulham’s promotion push with 11 goals in 38 appearances
Liverpool have wasted no time in strengthening their squad for next season by completing a £7.7million deal to sign Fabio Carvalho from Fulham.
Carvalho, a promising Portugal Under-21 international, will officially become a Liverpool player on July 1 having helped Fulham secure a return to the Premier League, and is expected to be part of the squad that goes to the Far East on a pre-season tour.
Though he is only 19 and with little top-flight experience, Liverpool have no intention of loaning back to Fulham and it is very much the intention for Carvalho to be part of Klopp’s squad.
Liverpool have confirmed Fulham forward Fabio Carvalho will join the club this summer
Liverpool had wanted to sign Carvalho in January and were in the process of securing a deal then but Fulham were adamant that he stayed with them to aid their promotion push and scored 11 goals in 38 appearances.
Fulham and Liverpool had experienced strained relations, dating back to the move for Harvey Elliott in July 2019, but the situation was patched up last summer when Harry Wilson moved from Anfield.
Liverpool will pay an initial £5million for Carvalho, who joined Fulham’s academy from Benfica in 2015, with a further £2.7million payable if certain objectives are realised. Fulham would also be due 20 per cent of any future sale, a clause similar to the one they inserted in the Elliott deal.
The Portuguese stayed at Fulham to aid their promotion push with 11 goals in 38 appearances
Jurgen Klopp’s side will pay an initial £5million with a £2.7million dependent on objectives
With foreign clubs trying to register an interest in Carvalho after January, Liverpool ensured they would get their man and new sporting director Julian Ward, along with the outgoing Michael Edwards, wrapped up negotiations with his agent Jorge Mendes in Lisbon in April.
Fulham then gave Carvalho permission to travel to Merseyside last month to meet Jurgen Klopp and undergo a medical at the club’s AXA training facility. Carvalho wanted the season to be over before an official announcement on his future was made.
The Portuguese had featured for Fulham in the top flight on four occasions in the previous season, marking his first Premier League start with a goal away at Southampton in May 2021.