Liverpool have finally completed the signing of Fulham forward Fabio Carvalho, having failed in a bid to bring the 19-year-old to Anfield in January.
The Portuguese teenager, who moved to England aged 11, is understood to have signed a five-year contract and will officially join on 1 July.
Carvalho, out of contract this summer, was set for a move four months ago on deadline day when a £5million deal was agreed with the SkyBet Championship winners but the transfer window closed without a medical and formal paperwork being concluded.
However, with a number of overseas clubs starting to show interest post-January it is understood Liverpool were keen to avoid being dragged into an auction for the player when his contract expired.
Therefore they subsequently agreed that in addition to the initial fee they would pay a further £2.7m in add-ons and attach a 20% sell-on clause to secure the player's future ahead of the end of the season.
Those terms mirror the ones set by a tribunal over the signing of another Cottagers youngster Harvey Elliott in the summer of 2019, a transfer which was much more acrimonious.
The strained relationship between the two clubs as a result of that deal was improved by the transfer Harry Wilson to Craven Cottage last summer and Liverpool were impressed with the co-operation they received from Fulham’s owner Tony Khan and chief executive Alistair Mackintosh during the Carvalho negotiations.
That led to Fulham granting Carvalho, who scored 10 goals in 36 league matches this season, permission to visit Liverpool’s AXA training complex to meet manager Jurgen Klopp and his coaching staff, have his medical and agree personal terms.
Klopp is understood to highly value the player’s versatility, skill set and personality and his status as a home-grown player due his development at Craven Cottage is an important factor as Liverpool look to freshen up an ageing squad.
Carvalho’s arrival will help replenish a forward line, already boosted by the arrival of Luis Diaz in January, which is losing Divock Origi.
The Belgium international has not played enough matches to trigger a contract extension and was given a farewell send-off at Anfield after the 3-1 victory over Wolves.
Origi missed the match with a muscle injury and Klopp confirmed he had now played his last game for the club as the striker will not be fit for Saturday’s Champions League final.
"Div is definitely out for the final because he (got) injured in the last second of the last session (on Saturday)," said the manager.
Liverpool are also sweating on the fitness of midfielder Thiago Alcantara, who was forced off late in the first half with an injury which makes him a doubt to face Real Madrid in Paris.
Key defender Virgil Van Dijk was an unused substitute on Sunday after a knee injury in the FA Cup final the previous weekend but he is expected to start at the Stade de France.
Fellow centre-back Joe Gomez, who injured an ankle in Tuesday’s win at Aston Villa, is also expected to return to the squad after sitting out the Wolves game.
Villa have announced the signing of Boubacar Kamara on a five-year deal.
The 22-year-old French midfielder will join Villa from Ligue 1 side Marseille once his contract expires in the summer.
Kamara has just earned his first call-up to the France national team following an impressive season in which Marseille secured a second-placed finish and reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals.
Villa have moved swiftly to secure the services of Kamara in preparation for next season and he becomes Steven Gerrard's second summer recruit after Philippe Coutinho’s capture.
Gerrard described Kamara as one of Europe’s most promising young talents and one which will only strengthen his squad.
He told the club’s website: "I am delighted that we have been able to attract one of the most promising young talents in European football.
"We have a very clear plan to make our team stronger and Bouba is an important part of that."
