Written by Priya Kaur
Whilst Liverpool continue the pursuit of Martin Zubimendi, there could well be somewhat of a mass exodus in the squad as pre-season star Fabio Carvalho is set to complete his move to Brentford and youngsters Bobby Clark and Ben Doak are also embroiled in intense transfer speculation.
The trio remain on the periphery of the squad at Anfield and despite both Carvalho and Doak getting minutes across pre-season, their respective long-term futures seemingly hang in the balance.
Here’s what we know so far…
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On Carvalho’s move to Brentford, Fabrizio Romano has given his famous ‘here we go’ clarification, with part of the player’s medical successfully completed.
The total package is worth £27.5 million (inclusive of add-ons) with a 17.5% sell-on clause and it is important to note that Fulham will receive 20% of the profit- above the £5 million fee paid by The Reds back in 2022.
Due to numerous factors, including limited playing time and squad competition, the 21-year-old has struggled to secure a regular spot in Liverpool’s starting XI and the presence of several high-profile midfielders and attackers has impacted Carvalho’s opportunities on the field.
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Talented midfielder Bobby Clark and Scottish winger Ben Doak could also be waving goodbye to Anfield as talk arises. Liverpool have recently rejected a £8.2million bid from Salzburg for Clark as manager Pep Lijnders remains a huge admirer of the 19-year-old.
Although Clark is eager for regular playing time, Liverpool are not actively looking to sell, but reports suggest the club has put a £12 million valuation fee on him which may reflect the view that the initial offer was insufficient.
Exclusive news follows Ben Doak as he is available for a loan with an option to buy (DaveOCKOP). However, no clubs are yet to come forward with interest in a permanent move and instead, Leicester, Southampton and Brentford have all been linked with a loan move.
Still just 18, Doak has already made 10 first-team outings for The Reds and is a valuable long-term asset, with hopes that consistent weekly improvements will lead to noticeable progress. But, if the right offer is made, Liverpool will consider a permanent sale this summer.
Interestingly the flying forward featured prominently in Arne Slot’s second XI to face Las Palmas on Sunday, suggesting perhaps thoughts of a permanent exit could still be premature.
Redmen Reacts
The Reds’ strong record with loan deals, as seen in the development of players such as Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton, shows the club’s strategic approach to managing young talent, whether it be for the betterment of the future at Anfield directly or by allowing sales to come off the back of successful temporary spells away.
By loaning players such as Bobby Clark and Ben Doak, their market values can increase which will help contribute to the funding of new signings like Zubimendi.
Albeit both are yet to really stamp their authority on the senior fold on Merseyside, they’ve surely shown enough to warrant either an extra chance to impress or a loan move away in order to continue their development.
As for Carvalho, whilst the departure may be less of a surprise, especially factoring in the healthy profit, after an impressive trip to the US many might’ve expected the attacking midfielder to be handed an opportunity at Liverpool.
