Liverpool’s reported interest in Fluminense’s Andre has been confirmed as genuine following a tweet from Pedro Sepulveda.
The Portuguese reporter tweeted that the 22-year-old Fluminense star carries a price tag in excess of £17m; an affordable asking price one might venture.
🦁 André não será reforço do @SportingCP . @FluminenseFC quer mais de 20 milhões de euros pelo médio brasileiro e quer mantê-lo até ao final da época – janeiro de 2024.
🏴 Interesse do @LFC é real mas nenhuma proposta foi feita.
↪️ Hjulmand prestes a ser reforço do Sporting. pic.twitter.com/0gMctJcfwZ
— Pedro Sepúlveda (@pedromsepulveda) August 5, 2023
Even with Romeo Lavia the recruitment team’s top target as things stand and the club still negotiating for a reduction on Southampton’s £50m hurdle, the possibility of a fourth midfield signing hasn’t been entirely ruled out at this stage.
That said, the Reds could be left waiting until January – until after the Brazilian top-flight season has completed (3rd December) to snap up the midfield’s final new arrival.
Hypothetically, even if we were forced to meet the full £50m price for the Belgian international and a further, let’s say, £20m for Andre (described as more of a controller than a destroyer, according to WhoScored); a combined £70m spent bringing in two further midfielders is far from outrageous.
Plying his trade in the Brazilian top-flight, of course, it’s inevitable that Andre’s addition, were it to occur, would attract more than it’s fair share of raised eyebrows. Enough, at any rate, to dwarf the scepticism attached to Darwin Nunez’s transfer the prior summer.
Ultimately, if it’s a profile Jurgen Klopp and the powers that be decide is worthwhile, our hit rate in the market suggests we should throw our full support behind Lavia and whomever should follow him through the doors of the AXA training centre.
With top-quality options in the market somewhat limited, we can hardly blame the club for considering potential left-of-field alternatives. As the likes of Andy Robertson and Gini Wijnaldum have taught us, we certainly shouldn’t discourage it.
#Ep83 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones