The transfer of Fabio Carvalho from Liverpool to Brentford for a fee of up to £27.5 million, including add-ons, has been confirmed. The news was initially reported by Portuguese outlet A Bola and has since been corroborated by Times journalist Paul Joyce. Liverpool has also included a 17.5 percent sell-on clause in the deal, which would entitle them to a percentage of any future profit if Brentford were to sell Carvalho.
Interestingly, when Carvalho signed for Liverpool from Fulham in 2022, Fulham included a sell-on clause in the deal. This means that Fulham will earn 20 percent of any profit Liverpool makes over £5 million from the transfer. Considering Liverpool paid £7 million for Carvalho two years ago, Fulham is set to receive £3.1 million from the transfer if Liverpool manages to receive the full £27.5 million for Carvalho.
Looking back at Carvalho’s recent journey, last season was a mixed bag for the young player. After a disappointing first half of the season at RB Leipzig, where he made only three starts and played a mere 360 minutes, Carvalho returned to Liverpool and was subsequently loaned out to a Championship team. He joined Liam Rosenior’s Hull side, which was pushing for a place in the play-offs. Although Hull ultimately missed out on the play-offs and Rosenior lost his job, Carvalho had a successful individual stint, primarily playing as a false nine and scoring nine goals in 20 games for the Tigers.
This pre-season has been relatively positive for Carvalho, as he has started in all four of Liverpool’s friendly matches so far. However, with the agreed transfer deal, it is highly likely that we have witnessed Carvalho’s last appearance in a Liverpool shirt. While he made a promising start to his Liverpool career, notably scoring a late winner against Newcastle in his sixth appearance, his influence gradually diminished. His loan spell at Hull and his pre-season goals were not sufficient to convince Liverpool manager Arne Slot that Carvalho should remain at the club.
Overall, Carvalho’s move to Brentford signifies a new chapter in his career. It remains to be seen how he will adapt to his new surroundings and whether he can make a significant impact at his new club. Meanwhile, the inclusion of sell-on clauses in his transfers highlights the financial complexities involved in player deals, with clubs seeking to secure future profits and mitigate potential losses.