Fabio Carvalho gives frank explanation on why he pushed for Liverpool transfer exit
Fabio Carvalho moved from Liverpool to Brentford in a £27.5million transfer deal earlier this month and the midfielder has opened up on his decision to leave Anfield
Fabio Carvalho decided to leave Liverpool after anticipating a season on the bench under new manager Arne Slot.
Carvalho, 21, joined Brentford in a permanent transfer earlier this month, with the Bees paying £27.5million for his signature. The move marks a fresh start for Carvalho, who spent last season on loan at Bundesliga side RB Leipzig before switching to Hull City in the Championship midway through the campaign in search of more regular game time.
The creative midfielder featured prominently in pre-season but suspected he would fall further down Slot's pecking order once Liverpool's big-name players returned to training after international tournaments. It was then when Carvalho decided to look for an exit, having originally joined Liverpool from Fulham in 2022 for £5m.
Opening up on his decision in an interview with Sky Sports, the 21-year-old explained: "I did [think I'd have a role to play], but then it's like, when you play - I thought I did alright to be fair - but as a footballer you get that feeling where you know certain players aren't back and when they come back things change and that happened."
READ MORE: Sky Sports fans can save £216 on their bill, here's three other reasons you'll want to pick itREAD MORE: Trent Alexander-Arnold backed to pen record-breaking deal as Real Madrid plot transferCarvalho then made it clear that despite his love for Liverpool, his focus was on finding a new home. "I'm not just going to stay at Liverpool, as much as I love the club and it's one of the best clubs in the world and I've got nothing but love for the fans," he added.
"I'm not going to just sit on the bench, because what's the point? I want to play football and show the world what I'm capable of, and why I train so hard every day. I'm not going to be able to do that by sitting on the bench."
Your turn! Should Fabio Carvalho have stayed at Liverpool? Let us know your stance in the comments section
Born in Portugal before moving to south London at the age of 11, Carvalho was considered one of Europe's most talented midfielders when Liverpool snapped him up after months of courting. But there's a feeling of what might've been for the ex-Fulham prospect, who made a total of 21 appearances for the Reds.
"I can sit here and say, 'Yeah, I should have played more', but things happen for a reason, and I'm sure they were meant to happen that way," Carvalho added. "I've learned so much from just being there, being around the great players that are there and just having that experience of training with them every day, which ultimately fuels me to want to reach that level."
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