Roberto Firmino has hailed Liverpool team-mate Fabio Carvalho as a “craque,” which is a Portuguese term for ‘ace’, showing the impact he has already made.
Carvalho has made a big impression since his arrival from Fulham earlier in the summer, with the 20-year-old settling in quickly within Jurgen Klopp‘s squad.
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 long-time friend Harvey Elliott.
But his efforts on the pitch have certainly helped his cause, too, with Carvalho featuring in all six Premier League games so far, scoring against Bournemouth and, with a 98th-minute winner, Newcastle.
He has earned the faith Klopp has bestowed on him, and has impressed Firmino with his performances, too, as the striker told Eleven Sports.
“He’s a great player,” he said, as relayed by Noticias ao Minuto.
“I confess that I had already watched some of his games before coming to Liverpool, so I was already impressed by the way he played.
“He’s a craque, he’s a great player and now he’s also a very close friend.
“We are happy to have him here at 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 team-mate or opponent as a star.
It shows how Carvalho has already convinced those within Liverpool of his quality and potential, with the £7.7 million fee agreed with Fulham expected to prove a bargain in years to come.
The young midfielder is currently sidelined after suffering a dead leg in his first Premier League start against Everton, but the postponement of Liverpool’s clash with Wolves allows him further time to recover.
“Fabio got a massive dead leg, which caused the muscle some problems, so it was no chance,” Klopp explained earlier in the week.
“He’s walking now normal, but there was no chance to train until now.
“We hope now every day will get better and he will be ready for the weekend, but I’m not 100 percent sure.”
