Premier League side Liverpool are yet to make contact with Championship promotion contenders Fulham regarding the signing of Fabio Carvalho, but are confirmed to be monitoring him by the Liverpool Echo.
The 19-year-old has been the subject of widespread interest from teams across Europe after impressing in the early stages of the 2021/22 season, scoring three goals in his first four league matches of the campaign.
An injury and Covid-19 diagnosis did hamper his progress after that, but he has been able to re-establish himself as a regular starter at Craven Cottage alongside the likes of Neeskens Kebano and Harry Wilson in behind top scorer Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Scoring a brace in the Cottagers' last game against Birmingham City on Tuesday evening, the teenager has returned to his best but the west London side's fans may not be able to enjoy him for much longer with his contract expiring at the end of the season.
Marco Silva's men would receive compensation for him if he was to leave on the expiration of his current deal - but could potentially look to cash in on the youngster if it becomes clear he won't be extending his stay at the club.
As per the Liverpool Echo, Jurgen Klopp's men are interested in securing this addition and are currently 'keeping tabs' on his situation, with the club believing he could operate in a number of positions for them as a versatile operator.
But the same outlet are also reporting that they haven't launched a formal bid or enquiry to take him off Fulham's hands, potentially waiting until the summer to pounce.
The Verdict:
For Liverpool, it probably makes sense for them to wait considering they will also have other young players to pursue, with their recruitment team having a good eye for up and coming stars.
Their signing of Harvey Elliott emphasises that and considering their financial power, they will have the ability to sign other youngsters if they miss out on Carvalho.
This will allow them to bide their time and potentially come to an arrangement with the Cottagers in the summer if Carvalho did fail to sign on the dotted line, probably for a fee much less than the one Silva's side will be demanding right now.
Considering how important he is to their cause, his current side may decide to risk losing him for a nominal fee, with promotion to the Premier League a huge boost for their finances and much more of a boost than the money they would receive for Carvalho's potential sale this month.
With his contract running down, he isn't likely to attract huge bids anyway, or any that are worth Fulham considering so if you had to make a prediction right now with the Reds yet to submit an offer, a stay at Craven Cottage looks the most likely at this stage.