Liverpool winger Fabio Carvalho has revealed he held talks with Arne Slot to discuss his future at Anfield, as he eyes a fresh opportunity to impress under the new boss.
The 21-year-old has been used as a bit-part player since his arrival from Fulham in an £8million transfer in July 2022, scoring just three goals in 21 appearances.
He fell out of favour under Jurgen Klopp and was loaned out last season to help him gain first-team experience. But there could be a chance for Carvalho to make an impression in front of Slot, who succeeded Klopp in June, by taking up a new position.
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The former Feyenoord tactician gave some vital minutes to the Portugal Under-21 international in their 1-0 pre-season win over Real Betis on Friday in Pittsburgh, using Carvalho as a winger.
However, he faces a tough task in competing for a first-team spot, with Mo Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott all ahead of him in the pecking order.
Carvalho, though, believes he could make an impact as a No 10 in the Dutchman's system.
“We’ve had a few conversations which I’m not going to go into detail about but he wants me to get my head down and work hard and see where that goes,” Carvalho told reporters in the USA.
When asked about impressing in pre-season, he replied: “That’s what it is all about. Not just for me but for everyone involved.
"There’s good chances for the young players as well, for myself as well. It’s a good chance for everyone to put their foot down and stamp their mark.”
Asked to elaborate on his chat with Slot, Carvalho hinted at playing in a new role: “So we [Carvalho and Slot] spoke about it and he told me to try and settle on the wing but obviously I know where I play best and I feel that is as a No 10.
“I’m just going to do what he wants me to do and just work as hard as I can for him. He’s giving me good instructions and motivating me a lot in training and giving me that confidence.”
Carvalho spent time on loan at RB Leipzig in the second half of the 2022-23 season, where he made just nine appearances. He headed out for a temporary spell with Hull City last season and impressed with the Championship outfit. bagging nine goals in 20 outings for the Tigers.
Another loan looks likely for the young forward, but after giving a glowing review of his time at Hull, Carvalho sees regular game time as the most important thing at an important stage in his career.
“It was crucial,” he said. “I needed game time and I was happy when I was playing. Every footballer wants to be playing week in and week out and I feel I got the best of myself when I was there and playing.”
