Fabio Carvalho’s Brentford Struggles: Father Urges Exit
In a surprising turn of events, Fabio Carvalho’s father has publicly called for his son to leave Brentford, just three months after the young midfielder’s £27.5 million move from Liverpool1. The 22-year-old Portuguese talent has found himself in a familiar predicament, struggling for consistent playing time at his new club.
Limited Opportunities at Brentford
Since joining the Bees, Carvalho has made 14 appearances but has only started five times, with a mere two starts in the Premier League1. His total league playing time is 284 minutes, averaging 25.8 minutes per outing. The situation reached a new low when Carvalho was left as an unused substitute in Brentford’s recent 0-0 draw against Everton1.
Father’s Controversial Comment
Responding to Brentford’s Instagram post about the Everton match, Carvalho’s father and agent, Victor, wrote in Portuguese: “Son, you have to leave this club.” Although the comment was later deleted, it sparked discussions about the player’s future and relationship with the club1.
A Pattern of Challenges
This incident is not isolated, as Carvalho has faced similar issues throughout his young career:
- Questions about his attitude arose during his time at Liverpool
- He faced criticism from Portugal’s U21 coach after withdrawing from selection via text message
- His loan spell at RB Leipzig ended prematurely, with the club’s sporting director suggesting Carvalho “didn’t want to face the competition”1
Carvalho’s Perspective
When Carvalho left Liverpool in the summer, he expressed his desire for more playing time:
“I won’t just sit on the bench because what’s the point? I want to play football and show the world what I’m capable of and why I train so hard every day. I won’t be able to do that by sitting on the bench.”
Current Situation at Brentford
Despite his aspirations, Carvalho’s move to Brentford hasn’t yielded the desired results:
- He has appeared in 11 of Brentford’s 12 Premier League games
- Only two of these appearances were starts
- Most of his playing time has come from brief cameos off the bench
Manager’s View
Brentford manager Thomas Frank has previously praised Carvalho’s progress, stating after a Carabao Cup match:
“He’s taking steps in the right direction in the past five or six weeks. I was very pleased with what I saw from him: a great goal and an assist. He’s growing into what I thought he would bring to us.”
Looking Ahead
As the situation unfolds, questions arise about Carvalho’s future at Brentford and his career trajectory. The young midfielder’s talent is evident, but finding the right environment to flourish remains challenging. With his father’s public statement adding pressure, it remains to be seen how Brentford and Carvalho will navigate this delicate situation in the coming weeks.