The Reds could complete their midfield with this exciting acquisition.
For those from Liverpool, August was a strange month. Jurgen Klopp’s side had sunk into the abyss after a deterioration of trademark cohesion and intensity resulted in a fifth-place finish in the Premier League.
But that was in the past, and the old midfield had been replaced by exciting new signings Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
But then came August, and the riches of Saudi Arabia swooped in for experienced midfielders Jordan Henderson and Fabinho; in retrospect, the declining pair should have been sold given their struggles last year, but replacements were crucial.
Romeo Lavia had been identified as the solution, but after multiple rejected bids and apparent dithering, a seemingly certain acquisition looked decidedly less so, and when Liverpool failed to persuade Moises Caicedo to abandon his pursuit of a move to Chelsea, the unthinkable occurred.
Despite Liverpool making a British-record offer, the Ecuadorian chose to join Chelsea, with the Reds’ decision to halt their pursuit of Lavia convincing the prodigious teenager to join them as well.
Wataru Endo, 30, was signed as a stopgap option for £16 million, but he is far from a starring and central member of Klopp’s best starting lineup.
August was a difficult month for Liverpool in terms of transfers, especially since Andre also turned down Liverpool in favor of staying in his homeland with Fluminense and assisting them in their Copa Libertadores journey (which has now paid off handsomely).
That may now change, with the Reds reportedly returning for the talented Brazilian midfielder ahead of the January transfer window.
Liverpool transfer news – Andre
According to Goal Brasil, Fluminense are willing to grant the departure of their midfield centrepiece Andre this winter, following the conclusion of the Brasileiro Serie A season in December.
The Brazilian side want €35m (£30m) for the 22-year-old, with Liverpool and Fulham already having consulted with the player regarding his possible transfer.
Considering that Liverpool have already done their homework on the player and are searching for a midfielder of his style, it could be the perfect signing this January.
Andre’s style of play
Hailed as a “leader” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his talismanic performances in midfield, Andre is the commanding and industrious cog needed to complete Liverpool’s rebuild.
One of the finest passers of the ball around, he would allow Mac Allister to play in his favoured No. 8 position and bring some mettle to the Liverpool defensive efforts, all the while maintaining the passing aptitude of his Argentinian counterpart.
| Andre: Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Passing | Aerial duels |
| Dribbling | |
| Ball progression | |
| Concentration | |
| *Sourced via WhoScored | |
As per FBref, the 5 foot 9 menace ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Brasileiro Serie A over the past year for pass completion, the top 25 for passes attempted and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90, showcasing his supreme distribution skills and tenacity.
While he has yet to get a taste of European football, Andre looks like a custom-made option for Klopp’s side, having made some impressive strides in his progress over the past year.
Andre’s season in numbers
Having risen through Fluminese’s youth ranks, Andre has now made 163 appearances for his homeland outfit, scoring four goals and providing three assists.
This season, though, he has really come into his own and cemented his position as one of Brazil’s most compelling talents; the two-cap Brazil international has played 26 times in the league this season, incredibly completing 95% of his passes, averaging 0.7 key passes per game and succeeding with 71% of his attempted dribbles, as per Sofascore.
Quite simply, he would be perfect for Liverpool’s system, slotting into that defensive role in the middle and ruling with an iron fist, dismantling opposition advances and utilising his excellent ball-playing skills to progress the play with vision and timing that will leave his peers speechless.
It’s perhaps even more apt considering Thiago Alcantara, considered one of football’s standout maestros, is approaching the end of his time at Anfield, with his contract set for expiry at the conclusion of the campaign.
Should Liverpool land their man, they would be able to nurture one of the most promising midfield prospects around – one who could even take their place alongside the likes of Arsenal’s Declan Rice as the Premier League’s standout star in the engine room.
How Andre compares to Declan Rice
Signed from West Ham United for £105m in the summer, Rice has comfortably taken his place as one of football’s leading midfielders over the past year or so, dubbed a “force of nature” by journalist Rob Blanchette.
Having been sensational for the Gunners so far, the England international has posted two goals and an assist from 12 outings in the Premier League, completing 92% of his passes, making two tackles and five ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 55% of his dribbles and ground duels.
Hailed as a “monster” by journalist Fernando Campos, Andre is just as competent a passer and active in the tackle as Rice and should he acclimatise to life on English shores, carrying his best abilities overseas, it could be a daunting proposition indeed for the rest of the division.
It feels like Liverpool’s revival this season has somewhat gone under the radar given the industrial-scale movements that took place on Merseyside, and it’s all the more impressive that Endo was the only out-and-out No. 6 to have been signed.
It certainly feels like it will be a primary area for investment in 2024 and Klopp will be attentive to the needs of his players this season, especially as it stretches into the business end after the new year.
The 1-1 draw against Luton Town before the November international break exposed this, and Andre, it seems, would offer the perfect solution.
He is slick, technical, combative and robust; in many ways, Andre emulates some of Rice’s best qualities and would provide Liverpool with a similar sheen in the engine room – perhaps the difference-maker in the decisive stages, when silverware looms.
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