RB Leipzig have announced that they have signed midfielder Fabio Carvalho on a season-long loan from Liverpool. The loan comes without a buy option.
On his move to the Bundesliga, Carvalho said: “As a young player, it’s a big step for me to move from England to the Bundesliga and RB Leipzig. I’m joining a strong side, one that has been very successful in recent years. Now, I want to help build on this and am looking forward to taking on a new challenge. My goal is to play as much as possible, in the league, the cup and especially in the UEFA Champions League. RB Leipzig have a reputation for giving young players these kinds of opportunities, which is why this is the perfect club for me to continue my development at.”
Carvalho only joined Liverpool last summer from Fulham for €5.9m, however, he was unable to get the required game time, playing 21 times for the senior team, with most of those appearances coming off of the bench.
Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl also commented on the move: “Fábio Carvalho is a huge talent – the fact that Liverpool signed him recently just proves that. He is quick, agile, full of tricks and creative. He likes to get shots away and can also set his teammates up. We will give Fábio the time he needs to settle in here and to adjust to life in a new country and with a new club. We are looking forward to him improving our attacking game and to have another option in this department.”
What Carvalho’s role at Leipzig will be is currently unknown. It has previously been reported that the 20-year-old is seen as a potential successor for Dani Olmo or Dominik Szoboszlai if one of them were to leave next summer. However, he could be fast-tracked into this role if Szoboszlai is to leave the club this summer as Liverpool push to complete a deal for the Hungarian.
Carvalho will once again face a lot of competition in the Leipzig starting 11 as he will compete with the aforementioned Olmo and Szoboszlai as well as Emil Forsberg and Benjamin Seško for one of the attacking roles. The positive is that the 20-year-old will get more game time as Leipzig are competing on three fronts once again.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
