RB Leipzig sporting director reveals brutal reasons why Fabio Carvalho loan didn't work out

RB Leipzig's sporting director has revealed a harsh truth about Fabio Carvalho's failed short-term loan at the German club following his exit.

Carvalho, 21, struggled to make an impact at the Bundesliga side, playing just 360 minutes across 15 appearances in all competitions. Following his lack of game time, Liverpool decided it would be better to end his season-long-loan early in favour of him earning regular minutes at another club. Therefore, he completed a move to promotion-chasing Hull City in the Championship over the last few days.

In what seemed like a deal that just didn't take off due to the stiff competition in Marco Rose's squad, sporting director Rouven Schröder has since made some bold claims following Carvalho's exit, questioning the youngster's desire to fight for his place as he exited after just five months at the club speaking to various media outlets at a press conference (via Sport Witness) today. “We consciously chose Fabio [Carvalho] last summer. Still, you only get to know a player as an end product when he’s there. Fabio has a great character. But he realized: ‘Okay, there’s a competitor here, I have to do more!’ And we noticed that he didn’t want to face the competition. We asked ourselves the question: Do we feel more comfortable with a man or are we clear and straight and say: Listen, if you don’t want to go with us, then we’ll end the loan. You shouldn’t be afraid of a break-off.”

The Championship should be the perfect place for Carvalho to rediscover his confidence and form, given the last time he featured in the competition, he earned a place in the 2021/22 PFA Team of the Season during his campaign with Fulham before securing a move to Liverpool. He managed 11 goals and eight assists as a 19/20-year-old and helped the London club to achieve promotion back to the Premier League after a one-year absence.

Given Liverpool's young contingent and strong midfield roster, Carvalho will need to impress on loan in order to be given a chance. He struggled to make an impact in the 2022/23 season, making 21 appearances in all competitions but it is clear he still needs time to develop, and that starts with the next five months at Hull.

Unfortunately, minutes will not guaranteed under Liam Rosenior at the Yorkshire club, as the manager revealed that he will have to fight for his place and prove his quality by working hard in training, but claimed he is an 'outstanding player'.