Brentford transfer news: Fabio Carvalho could leave on loan with top European league seen as 'concrete option' for ex-Liverpool attacker

Brentford are reportedly prepared to entertain a winter loan departure for summer signing Fabio Carvalho.

The 23-year-old is in his second season as a Brentford player after he arrived from Liverpool in the summer of 2024 in a deal worth up to £27.5m.

Carvalho started just three of his 19 Premier League appearances under Thomas Frank before he missed the final few months of the season with a shoulder injury.

The former Portugal Under-21 international has continued to find starting opportunities hard to come by under Frank's successor Keith Andrews.

Carvalho has not made a Premier League starting lineup since he played the full duration of Brentford's 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on the opening weekend of the season.

Carvalho could leave Brentford on loan in 2026

In fact, Carvalho has been an unused substitute in Brentford's last two top-flight outings, including Saturday's 3-2 home victory over his former club Liverpool.

With Carvalho struggling for regular minutes, journalist Florian Plettenburg is reporting that the Bees could allow the attacker to leave on loan in the January transfer window.

The update claims that a return to the Bundesliga is seen as a 'concrete option' at this stage, although it is unclear which German side would be keen to sign Carvalho in the new year.

The Brentford man previously played in the Bundesliga for RB Leipzig in 2023, but his loan spell was ended early after he failed to register a goal contribution in 15 appearances for the German club.

Should Brentford loan out Carvalho?

Carvalho is under contract with the Bees until June 2029, so in theory, he has a long-term future with the West London club, even if he is currently on the fringes of the squad.

As it stands, it would make sense for Brentford to send Carvalho out on loan to play regular football and see if he can show his best form.

At the end of the loan, Brentford would then be able to assess whether he can be a useful member of the first-team squad, or whether they deem him surplus to requirements.

However, Brentford's position over a potential loan exit will ultimately depend on their injury situation, and if Carvalho can force his way into Andrews's plans between now and the January window.