Fabio Carvalho could return to Craven Cottage on loan in January as the former Fulham academy graduate seeks first-team football, according to the Sunday Mirror.

The talented attacking midfielder, who starred as Marco Silva’s side stormed to the Championship title, is likely to recalled from a disastrous loan spell at Red Bull Leipzig by Liverpool and all three parties are open to a potential loan that would see Carvalho return to SW6. The switch hinges on how keen the Reds will be to end the 21 year-old’s spell in Germany early. The Portuguese under-21 international has played just 354 minutes of first-team football since moving to Leipzig, with his first ninety minutes for the club coming in a Champions’ League win over Young Boys on Wednesday.

Carvalho, who came through the Motspur Park academy set-up having joined Fulham aged nine, scored twelve goals and added eight assists in 44 appearances for the Whites. He was outstanding in his only full season in the first-team squad as Fulham romped to the title under Silva moving to Liverpool for around £7m in the summer of 2021. But the creative midfielder has made just 21 appearances for the Reds and does not enjoy a close relationship with Jurgen Klopp.

Fulham are understood to be interested in welcoming Carvalho back to the Cottage but would want the option of signing him on a permanent basis at the end of any loan deal.