Liverpool are expected to rekindle talks for the signing of Andre from Brazilian side Fluminense ahead of the January window, with Fabrizio Romano making clear Jurgen Klopp’s desire to get a deal for the €40m-rated midfielder done.
The Merseysiders spent the summer window rebuilding their midfield with four new players arriving to the total cost of £145.2m. And while Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Waturu Endo and Ryan Gravenberch will all give their engine room additional fizz, it seems Klopp is far from finished his spending.
In fact, Klopp is still two players short in the midfield after six players left during the summer. It is not surprising to see Liverpool looking to add more players given the rumours that Thiago Alcatantara may be the next to depart, possibly even this week.
To that end, Liverpool interest in 22-year-old Fluminense star Andre is well documented. The Reds made an approach to sign the once-capped Brazil international over the summer, only to be told that – given the Brazilian season was still in full swing – any move was impossible at this moment in time.
However, it will clearly be a different matter come the summer window with Fluminense president Mario Bittencourt as good as giving the green light for a possible January move for his player.
“The chief executive of Liverpool contacted me directly,” Bittencourt told Caua Tinoco. “And I replied to him: ‘My friend, I don’t sell a player now and I don’t deliver now. If you want to buy now to take in January, we can start talking, or if you want to wait until December and we talk in December’.”
Fabrizio Romano backing Andre to still join Liverpool
Romano is unwavering in his assertion that the Reds’ pursuit of Andre is far from over because they are still looking to bolster their midfield. And he is endorsing Klopp and company to push through a transfer for the player in January.
As Roman noted on his Here We Go podcast, “It’s not over; it’s still something we have to keep an eye on because Liverpool really like Andre.” “They had productive discussions with Fluminense; their connections are strong.
Credit to Fluminense for demonstrating their dominance in the Brazilian and South American markets by stating that the player would not be departing.
It was not easy, but I think Liverpool will keep monitoring the player. This is a special player, this is not a normal player. Andre is a very, very good player.”
Fluminense wanted to keep Andre over the summer due to their ongoing particapation in the Copa Libertadores, and the decision appears to have been vindicated with the Brazilian side now through to the semi-finals, where they face domestic rivals Internacional in the last four.
The player currently has a €40m (£34.4m) exit clause in his contract, meaning they will be powerless to block the move if Liverpool trigger the deal in January.
