Balham schoolboy signs for Fulham and left inspired by Carvalho

A Balham schoolboy is hoping to follow in Fabio Carvalho’s footsteps after signing for Fulham.

The Portuguese attacker played a major part in the Whites winning the Championship title but will become a Liverpool player on July 1.

The Reds will pay £5million for the former Balham Blazers youngster with a further £2.7m in potential add-ons.

And eight-year-old Alex Josephs is hoping to be a future star from the area after agreeing to join the west London club.

The defensive midfielder had interest from Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Charlton but his dad Drew said that Fulham held extra attraction as it cut travel time.

Josephs, a pupil at Rutherford House School, started playing football at the age of five and had a two-year stay with Sutton United, who he joined from Lambeth Tigers.

“Two days after he signed for Fulham, Carvalho came down to his training session,” said Drew. “It was a big thing because all the kids know who he is – and it inspires them.

“He came from their academy, has gone into the first team and now has been sold to Liverpool – and he’s from Balham.

“I hope Alex can inspire others from the Wandsworth Borough.”

Carvalho is the second Fulham player in recent years to make the move to Anfield. Harvey Elliott was 16 when he signed in 2019.

Fulham’s director of operations Tony Khan said: Fabio is a great talent and we did everything we could trying to secure him here on a longer deal so he could play in the Premier League with Fulham.

“That didn’t prove possible, but we were able to keep him for the remainder of the Championship winning campaign and for that I know he will always be very fondly remembered by our fans.”