Last summer, after a long overdrawn and anticipated transfer saga, Fábio Carvalho arrived at Anfield with a lot of promise. He came into a Liverpool side seemingly on the rise under Jürgen Klopp, having competed for an unprecedented quadruple the season before.
But Carvalho's time at Liverpool was fleeting and brief, for now at least. He never managed to fight himself into the reckoning and despite scoring goals against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup and a last-minute winner against Newcastle United, towards the second half of the season, he rarely featured in a red shirt.
His omissions (even sometimes from the matchday squads) made it clear his future, at least temporarily, was away from Anfield and in RB Leipzig, the Portuguese U21 international will be hoping he made the right switch.
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Carvalho has already scored his first goal for the club on his unofficial debut in pre-season, and recently he has been speaking about his move to reporters.
One of the most interesting comments Carvalho made in that interview was about his relationship with Klopp.
"I don’t really speak to him, to be fair," Carvalho is quoted as saying in Transfermarkt. "He didn’t really give me any advice. I just had to learn as I go, and I feel that is better for me to mature anyway. Both as a person and a footballer."
Many reading those words were convinced this declaration by Carvalho could signal the end of the road for his Liverpool career.
But the truth is more nuanced, and Carvalho's words are nothing new. Klopp is known for not really being a person to give explanations to players, as pointed out in Raphael Honigstein's biography of the boss titled Bring the Noise.
"The German had years ago decided for himself that there is no point explaining to players why they aren't being picked, that all he can do is tell them about the areas of their game that they can improve," write Honigstein.
And in this description, you certainly get an impression of a more reserved manager, who doesn't necessarily open up to players as you would expect.
It's also important to note Carvalho's words could have been taken out of context. We don't know what question he was asked in the interview and to what exactly he was referring when he made those comments.
In his press conference before that, as per RB Leipzig's official YouTube channel, Carvalho spoke about speaking to Klopp specifically when he made the decision to make the move to Leipzig.
"I went to [Klopp], I spoke to him, and together we came to the conclusion that it would be better off for me to go somewhere," he explained.
Later in the press conference, Carvalho was also asked to comment on his best stories about Klopp. "I've had a few," he smiled.
"I feel like when he's angry. Because it's a good angry, because he is trying to help you. So everything he says, personally for me I can handle it, because that's how I am, but yeah it's just constructive criticism, and he helps you with that, it's just good. The way he communicates and speaks to you, it just helps you as a player and as a person on and off the pitch."
In the past, Klopp has spoken in glowing terms about the youngster's quality. Before Liverpool's game with Nottingham Forest towards the end of the season, the club boss praised Carvalho's mentality and attitude.
"Fábio, for the situation in which he is now, in training on an absolute super level and not being involved, how he deals with it, I have to say, that’s kind of a role model," Klopp told reporters, as per Blood Red.
"Not that he is happy with the situation, but he never gives up. It’s unbelievable. I don’t think it was probably his best skill before he arrived here, because he was this super-super talent — which he still is — but the character he shows here is exceptional."
Last season there was no room for Carvalho in Liverpool's system, but with Klopp rebuilding his midfield this summer, pre-season has already given glimpses that long-term he may still have a future at Anfield.
With Cody Gakpo being deployed as an advanced midfielder in recent fixtures, Carvalho could easily adopt a similar role, especially if he hits the ground running at Leipzig. As previous Liverpool players have shown, the path between the two clubs is well-trodden, and the route from Red Bull to Anfield is one many have made in the past.