Promising Brazilian Midfielder Andre: A New Hope for Liverpool’s Midfield

Liverpool is aiming to revamp its midfield with the addition of a Brazilian midfielder, promising a fresh breeze to their central play. Securing a new defensive midfielder has become a top priority for Liverpool. This summer, The Kop bid farewell to Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, creating a personnel puzzle for manager Jurgen Klopp.

Romeo Lavia has been a top pursuit for Liverpool. However, the deal hit a deadlock as Southampton rejected two offers from The Kop.

In addition to Lavia, Liverpool has set its sights on another promising prospect: Andre. The 22-year-old midfielder has made a strong impression while playing for Fluminense. He has stood out as a pivotal player in the central midfield position, drawing praise from experts. So, what makes Andre an attractive prospect for Liverpool?

Andre was born in Algodao, Ibirataia, in the northern state of Bahia, Brazil. His talent was discovered early by former player Beijoca. Initially, Andre played as a forward and was brought to the Bahia club by Beijoca.

Andre’s outstanding performances caught the attention of Fluminense. The Fluminense headquarters is located 1500 km away from Andre’s hometown, Algodao. At the age of 13, Andre had to adapt to life away from his family to pursue his passion for football. “The first two or three years were tough for me. Eventually, I managed to adapt because there was no other way. I had to fight the homesickness or give up on pursuing my passion,” Andre shared with ESPN Brazil.

Andre transitioned to a defensive midfielder role when he was promoted to Fluminense’s first team in 2020. He faced tough competition for his position from players like Joao Pedro and Marcos Paulo.

The 22-year-old midfielder fought for a starting spot under new coach Roger Machado’s reign. Andre’s loan move to Botafogo was on the horizon before a turning point occurred.

Midfielder Hudson suffered a severe injury towards the end of the season, prompting Fluminense to retain Andre to ensure squad depth in the midfield area. This turned out to be a pivotal moment for Andre. He scored his first goal in the Brazilian league against Flamengo in July 2021, just four minutes after coming off the bench.

“After that match, I began to assert myself. I think that goal was crucial,” Andre shared with Globo Esporte.

In August 2021, Machado was fired by Fluminense, and Marcao took over, granting Andre regular starting opportunities. His impressive performances led to him being voted the best newcomer in the Brazilian league in 2021. The appointment of Fernando Diniz as the head coach of Fluminense further propelled Andre’s progress. Diniz molded Andre into a linchpin in Fluminense’s possession-oriented playstyle.

In terms of playing style, Andre possesses impressive ball retention and recovery skills. His composure and ability to evade opponent pressing make him stand out in the eyes of experts. This calm and mature playing style holds promise for the 22-year-old midfielder to cope well in a competitive league like the Premier League.

However, Andre’s offensive contributions are limited. He excels in controlling the pace of the game and intercepting plays, but he lacks restraint in physical challenges. This tendency could lead to disciplinary issues, particularly with receiving yellow cards.

Allan Lima, a journalist for Goal, assesses Andre: “He has the talent and potential to become Liverpool’s new Fabinho. If he adapts quickly to the Premier League, Andre could surpass Fabinho. He possesses a strong and versatile playing style.”

Liverpool needs to negotiate a substantial fee to persuade Fluminense to release Andre. The Brazilian club turned down a €20 million offer from Sporting CP. Consequently, The Kop would need to invest €40 million to trigger the release clause in Andre’s contract and bring him to Anfield.