Jurgen Klopp has already explained why Fabio Carvalho could be 'leaving Liverpool'

Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho could be on his way out of Anfield less than a year after signing for the Merseyside club.

Carvalho, 20, joined Liverpool from Fulham last summer, six months after the Premier League club had failed in their initial attempt to sign him in January.

The Portugal U21 international penned a five-year deal with Jurgen Klopp's side, who paid Fulham a compensation fee of around £7m - decided by a tribunal.

Hopes were high that Carvalho would follow in the footsteps of former Fulham teammate Harvey Elliott and become an important player under the guidance of Klopp.

But he has struggled for first-team opportunities in his debut season at Anfield, making just 12 appearances in the Premier League – the majority of which came from the bench in the first half of the campaign.

Since the start of November, Carvalho has made just two league appearances – both late cameos totalling five minutes.

Could Carvalho leave Liverpool?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano now claims Carvalho could leave Anfield this summer, either on loan or a permanent deal.

Speaking on the Here We Go Podcast, Romano said: "I see Liverpool going for two or three midfielders because Naby Keita is out, Oxlade-Chamberlain is out and James Milner needs to decide on his future.

"Will they also go for one more striker or another type of player in one of those positions?

"Fabio Carvalho I am told is also leaving. We have to see what solution they will find but he is young and he is never playing so it is important to clarify these things."

What has Klopp said?

Liverpool manager Klopp admitted earlier this season that Carvalho is not "in a happy place" at Anfield.

"Fabio is a very young player, big talent, absolutely. He played well for us in a couple of games," said Klopp in February, when asked why he had left the youngster out of a matchday squad.

"Now it's the situation where we have to make the squad and he couldn't make it for the last one. That's how it is, that's the truth.

"He didn't play too often because, from my point of view, we needed different skills when we started or when we changed during the games. That's pretty much all, he did nothing wrong.

"He improved a lot, he developed a lot, he’s a good kid in the middle of the group, in the middle of the squad."

"So that's all fine, but [he is] obviously not in a happy place," added Klopp.

"In the moment you cannot see that on the pitch or when I see him, it's not really obvious, but I can imagine. He's a footballer, he wants to play and he didn't play often enough.

"That doesn't help a lot, but that’s another thing in a long career that you have to go through. For me, it looks in the moment that he takes it as good as somehow possible."

Topics: Liverpool, Football, Fabio Carvalho, Jurgen Klopp, Premier League, Transfers

Rory O'Callaghan

Rory O'Callaghan is Editorial Lead at SPORTbible. He has previously worked for Sky Sports News, MailOnline and Reach covering football, cricket, boxing and MMA. Tested daily as a Liverpool fan in a Manchester office.

@rory_ocallaghan