Liverpool may soon reap the rewards of a deal made nearly a year ago, which comes at the ideal time after they broke through the £200 million barrier in their transfer expenditure. The sell-on clause in Fabio Carvalho’s transfer to Brentford on the eve of the 2024–2025 season would be the deciding factor.
Carvalho, who played a significant role as a left-winger during last summer’s preseason tour of the United States, was pushed back down the hierarchy when Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz eventually returned from their prolonged absences following international competitions. Two years after his £5 million arrival from Fulham, it was decided that he would be permanently sold because he preferred to play as a No. 10, and a £27.5 million transfer to theBees was made possible in the face of rival interest from Leicester City and Southampton.
Importantly, Liverpool was able to negotiate a 17.5% sell-on clause, which could be activated sooner than anticipated because the midfielder’s brother has now revealed fresh interest from Portuguese powerhouse Benfica.
Diogo, the 22-year-old’sbrother,told Renascenca via Record, “I was told that Benfica is interested and without a doubt [he is too].”
“It would be the best course of action, it’s the right thing for him to do, and I think it would be a good help for Benfica,” he continued.
This follows a single season with 24 appearances, three goals, and three assists each at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Given that Brentford lost their manager to Tottenham Hotspur and many other players were linked to moves this summer, Carvalho would have the opportunity to play for a team that regularly competes in the Champions League and contend for a domestic championship if he moved to Portugal.
His old team, Liverpool, would be happy to make the move if they can find more money after spending £216 million in the summer of 2025. After club-record signing Florian Wirtz, right-back Jeremie Frimpong, and goalkeeper Giorgi, left-back Milos Kerkez is the most recent newcomer to Anfield.
Michael Edwards, the head of football at Fenway Sports Group, who managed Carvalho’s arrival in 2022 as his final act as Liverpool sporting director, and Richard Hughes, who took over that role last summer and orchestrated the sale, may have worked together to benefit from Carvalho’s possible transfer.
Any money made from the midfielder’s transfer to Benfica would go to Liverpool in the amount of 17.5%.