André showed his class in the Copa Libertadores on Saturday night giving three reasons to Jürgen Klopp why he could be the perfect Liverpool January transfer.

André Trindade will no doubt be attracting some interest in the next week or so as the Brazilian looks to help Fluminense become world champions.

Liverpool fans will likely be among some of the interested viewers in this year’s Club World Cup. Fluminense has already made it through its semi-final against Egyptian side Al-Ahly, before an anticipated final against Manchester City.

Should André once again impress, the calls for a move to Anfield will no doubt intensify once again. Liverpool though looks as though it won’t be moved.

According to the ECHO last month, the Reds have no immediate plans to bolster their midfield options in January. Perhaps though recent events might encourage the club to change its mind.

Jürgen Klopp was handed another injury worry against Manchester United as Ryan Gravenberch was forced off with what looked to be a hamstring problem. With Alexis Mac Allister already on the sidelines, the Liverpool boss will be keeping his fingers crossed for some good news on the Netherlands international.

If worse comes to worst though, perhaps a rethink is in order. And André already gave three good reasons during the Copa Libertadores final against Boca Juniors why he should come back under consideration.

First and foremost, André’s defensive game in a tactically fluid Fluminense side spoke volumes. Often at times, the Brazilian was tasked with being the last man standing in Fluminense’s midfield and had to thwart quick Boca Juniors transitions, but André stood up to the challenge. He won eight out of 10 defensive duels, made two successful tackles, one interception and eight recoveries. Based on those numbers that’s a typical holding midfielder performance, but André showed he is more than just a one-dimensional player.

André Trindade ahead of Fluminense’s Club World Cup semi-final against Al-Ahly (Image: Getty Images)

As well as being exemplary in defensive situations, what stood out about him was his poise in possession and his excellent distribution. Often tasked with controlling the middle of the park, André’s ability to beat the counter press of the opposition and dictate the rhythm of play with his clever passing was a really impressive aspect of his performance. With a 95 per cent pass completion rate, no player who played at least 45 minutes during the final averaged more. In total, he misplaced just four of his 73 pass attempts in the game.

Thirdly, it wasn’t just the way he was able to retain possession, it was also how effective André was going forward as well to instigate attacks for his teammates. Full of energy, he beat his opponents with ease a couple of times with clever feints and took the ball into dangerous territories with his forward runs. He can take and keep the ball under pressure.

It was a performance in the final that demonstrated all of his best traits, and it was a performance that was enough to ensure Fluminense lifted the trophy. There are still games to be played on the domestic front for André, but his major objective has been accomplished. What happens next remains to be seen.

Reports in Brazil have suggested there could be a twist in André’s future. According to Globo Esporte, no offers meeting the $38m (£30m/€35m) asking price have yet arrived, and Fluminense could now look to sell in the summer to better fit in with the schedule of European sides.

Liverpool then should certainly consider sneaking in and getting a deal done before then. After all, André has already shown why he would be the perfect fit, and he may do it again soon.

An original version of this article was first published on November 6.

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