England blow as Liverpool transfer target Fabio Carvalho selected for Portugal Under-21s despite 22 Young Lions caps

ENGLAND have been dealt a blow as Fabio Carvalho was selected for the Portugal Under-21s.

That is despite the 19-year-old forward earning 22 Young Lions caps.

Carvalho scored two in ten for England U16s, one in six for the U17s and featured a further six times for the U18s.

However, the Fulham star was named in Rui Jorge's squad for their upcoming European Championships qualifiers.

He will link up with Premier League stars Nuno Tavares of Arsenal and Wolves striker Fabio Silva.

The Portuguese youngsters face Iceland at home on March 25 before travelling to take on Greece on March 29.

Carvalho was born in the Torres Vedras district of Lisbon in August 2002.

The playmaker spent three years with Benfica's youth system before a season with Balham in South-West London then got him snapped up by the Cottagers in 2014.

He signed a pro contract with Fulham in May 2020, making his senior debut four months later.

This season, in the Championship, Carvalho has starred with seven goals and six assists in 27 matches.

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That has caught the attention of plenty of Europe's biggest clubs.

However, despite missing out on an £8million January transfer, Liverpool look on course to snap up the teenager on a free in the summer.