In a moment of raw honesty that has stunned the football world, Liverpool manager Arne Slot has publicly admitted one of the biggest regrets of his short Anfield reign: sanctioning the summer sale of fan favourite Fabio Carvalho. Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Real Madrid on November 20, 2025, the Dutch tactician dropped the bombshell in a pre-match press conference that left journalists speechless.
“I made a big mistake selling him — it was all my fault,” Slot confessed, his voice heavy with remorse. “I just hope he can forgive me and come back to the club one day. Fabio is a special talent, and I underestimated how quickly he could have adapted to our style.”
Carvalho, 22, was sold to Brentford for £27.5 million plus add-ons in August 2025 after just one full pre-season under Slot. The decision was widely criticised at the time, with many fans pointing to the Portuguese starlet’s explosive cameo in the 2022-23 season and his starring role in RB Leipzig’s loan spell the previous year. Since moving to west London, Carvalho has been nothing short of sensational: 11 goals and 8 assists in 15 appearances, earning him October’s Premier League Player of the Month and back-to-back Portugal call-ups.
Sources close to Anfield now claim Slot has made re-signing Carvalho his number-one priority for the January window. Liverpool reportedly inserted a £40 million buy-back clause in the original deal — a clause the club is ready to trigger immediately. Brentford boss Thomas Frank, while full of praise for Carvalho, has admitted privately that resisting a £40-50 million bid would be “almost impossible” given the Bees’ business model.
The proposed move would see Carvalho return as the long-term successor to Mohamed Salah, whose contract saga continues to rumble. Slot is said to have already held “emotional” phone calls with the player’s camp, apologising personally and outlining a central role in his vision. “Arne told him he sees him as the new creative heartbeat of this team,” a source revealed. “He promised minutes, trust, and a path to being the next big Anfield icon.”
Liverpool supporters have reacted with a mixture of delight and disbelief. #CarvalhoComeHome trended worldwide within hours of Slot’s comments, with the official LFC Supporters’ Club tweeting: “If this happens, Arne becomes an instant legend. We never should have let him go.”
Carvalho himself has remained coy but telling. When asked about Slot’s public apology after Brentford’s 4-2 win over Bournemouth last weekend, he smiled: “Everyone makes mistakes. Liverpool will always be special to me. Let’s see what January brings.”
The numbers make painful reading for Reds fans: since Carvalho’s departure, Liverpool have struggled for creativity in the final third during Salah’s occasional absences, relying heavily on Darwin Núñez’s chaos and Luis Díaz’s directness. Carvalho’s return would add the silk Liverpool have been missing — a player capable of unlocking low blocks, drifting into pockets, and delivering killer final balls.
Financially, the deal makes sense too. With Salah, Van Dijk, and Alexander-Arnold all inside 18 months of contract expiry, FSG are preparing a statement January window. Activating Carvalho’s clause would represent both smart business and a public acknowledgment of Slot’s willingness to correct his errors — a rarity in modern management.
As Anfield prepares for another European night under the lights, the loudest cheer might not be for the current stars, but for the prodigal son who could be on his way home. If Fabio Carvalho walks back through the Shankly Gates in January wearing the famous red again, Arne Slot’s “big mistake” might just become the best piece of accidental genius in Liverpool’s recent history.
