Southampton are one of a number of clubs interested in a move for a player who turned down the chance to join the club in January.
Southampton are gearing up for their return to the Premier League, with Russell Martin set for his first taste of the competition as a manager.
The Southampton boss is keen to improve his squad ahead of next season, acknowledging the importance of experience with 36-year-old Adam Lallana already confirmed as signing and 30-year-old duo Saman Ghoddos and Ryan Fraser expected to join him.
The club also ensured they signed Taylor Harwood-Bellis permanently with promotion as the terms of his loan deal from Manchester City stipulated a £20 million deal would be secured if the Saints went up.
Now, Southampton look set to reignite their January interest in a player to improve the forward areas.
Liverpool’s Fabio Carvalho ‘courted’ by Southampton
Southampton were keen to bring Fabio Carvalho to St Mary’s on loan in January but the Liverpool youngster instead decided to join fellow Championship side Hull City.
The Saints instead signed David Brooks on loan from Bournemouth, but the Welsh winger did not quite hit the heights expected and is unlikely to return this summer.
With Hull missing out on the play-offs last season they will not be able to secure a return for the Portugal under-21 international and the Daily Mail are reporting that, whilst Liverpool are ‘keen to give Carvalho a good look in pre-season’, he could leave.
According to the report, Carvalho is ‘being courted by many in England and on the continent, with a growing list of suitors keen’.
Southampton are one of the clubs credited with interest, as well as former club Fulham, Leicester City and clubs in Germany, France, Spain and Holland.
However, ‘no interest is advanced yet’, so it could be a while before Carvalho’s future is decided.
He is not the only Liverpool player Southampton are interested in this summer either, with midfielder Tyler Morton also being considered.
How Carvalho performed after choosing Hull over Southampton
Carvalho spent the first half of last season on loan at German club RB Leipzig but was recalled by Liverpool prior to the January transfer window due to lack of game time.
This piqued Southampton’s interest, who were looking for another attacking player at the time, but Carvalho decided Hull was the right move.
The man Liverpool paid £5 million to sign from Fulham in 2022 following a tribunal was impressive as he scored nine and assisted two in 20 games at Hull; including a goal in a win over Southampton.
Carvalho’s ability to play multiple attacking positions was one of the reasons Martin wanted to sign him on loan and he operated as a centre-forward, attacking midfielder and winger in his half-season at Hull.
Hull narrowly missed out on the play-offs, but Carvalho showed he is capable of playing at a higher level and Southampton could benefit from his talents if they firm up their interest this summer.