Fulham manager Marco Silva says that speculation around Fabio Carvalho's future has not affected the 18-year-old attacker.

Carvalho has been linked with a number of clubs in recent weeks. Football League World exclusively revealed recently that Barcelona are interested in the attacker, while Real Madrid and several Premier League sides are reportedly also interested in the signing the teenager.

The attacker is also into the final year of his contract with Fulham, and the Championship promotion hopefuls are said to be in talks with Carvalho about a new deal.

So much uncertainty could cause something of a distraction for some players, but it seems Silva believes that that is not the case with Carvalho.

Speaking about the teenager's current mindset, the Fulham boss was quoted by The Athletic as saying: "Fabio is the same as at the beginning of the season. He is the same boy, a young player hungry to play and happy to work at Fulham every single day.

"All the speculation is for him, of course with my and our support, to deal with because he's a professional player. If there is speculation around him, that means that he's doing something (well) that provoked this speculation.

"I don't know what's happening off the training ground on a daily basis, with those advising him, but I hope everyone stays on the same page and that everyone really advises him in the right way. Because he's a young player who deserves and needs it, and who we are supporting."

Providing an update on those contract talks with the attacker, Silva added: "That is something for inside our football club. I won't be updating at each step. We will only say something when we have something official."

So far this season, Carvalho has scored three goals and provided one assist in five league games, to help Fulham to second in the early Championship standings.

The Verdict

This may be something of a relief for those of a Fulham persuasion.

Obviously, Fulham are going to want to keep Carvalho around for as long as possible, and a new contract will help them to do that.

But if they are unable to secure the attacker to a new deal, they will no doubt at least want him to help the club win promotion back to the Premier League before he does move on, given he has already shown the talent to do that.

As a result, the fact Carvalho is apparently unaffected by this talk around his Fulham future ought to be a good sign, since it means he should still be focused on playing his best football while he is at Craven Cottage.