Roberto Firmino has hailed his Liverpool team-mate Fabio Carvalho as a ‘craque’, which is a Portuguese term for ‘ace’, showing the impact he has already had.
Carvalho has made a huge impression since his arrival from Fulham in the early summer, and the 20-year-old quickly settled into Jurgen Klopp’s side.
A strong Latin contingent has certainly helped the Portugal Under-21 international in his transition, as he forms strong relationships with the likes of Firmino and Fabinho, as well as old friend Harvey Elliott.
But his efforts on the pitch have certainly helped his cause too, with Carvalho appearing in all six Premier League games so far, scoring against Bournemouth and, with a 98th-minute winner, against Newcastle. .
He has earned the trust that Klopp has placed in him, and has also impressed Firmino with his performances, as the striker told Eleven Sports.
“He’s a great player,” he said, according to Noticias ao Minuto broadcast.
“I confess that I had already seen some of his games before coming to Liverpool, so I was already impressed by the way he played.
“He is a crack, he is a great player and now he is also a very close friend.
“We are happy to have him here in Liverpool and I know he will help us a lot, with assists, goals and also his character on the pitch.”
The term ‘craque’ is commonly used among Portuguese-speaking players, and especially those from Brazil, to praise a particular teammate or opponent as a star.
It shows how Carvalho has already convinced Liverpool of his quality and potential, and the £7.7m fee agreed with Fulham is expected to be a bargain for years to come.
The young midfielder is currently sidelined after sustaining a dead leg in his first Premier League start against Everton, but the postponement of Liverpool’s clash with Wolves gives him more time to recover.
“Fabio suffered a huge dead leg, which caused some muscle problems, so there was no chance,” Klopp explained earlier in the week.
“He is walking normally now, but there was no chance to train until now.
“Hopefully every day it gets better and that it’s ready for the weekend, but I’m not 100 percent sure.”
