Graeme Bailey has said that Liverpool are ‘first in the queue’ to sign a player who’s ‘definitely leaving’ his current club in the January transfer window.
The journalist was speaking on 90min’s Talking Transfers podcast when he claimed that the Reds lead the chase for Andre Trindade, having sent a delegation to watch him as Fluminense recently booked their place in the Copa Libertadores final.
On Tuesday, Ian Doyle reported for the Liverpool Echo that the Merseysiders haven’t forgotten about the 22-year-old, having tried to sign him during the summer, and another reliable reporter has now issued their own favourable update.
Bailey said of Andre: “Many people think he’s the best defensive midfielder in the Brazilian top flight at the moment.
“It’s our understanding that [Liverpool] were in attendance for the Copa Libertadores semi-final. They would’ve been delighted for Andre to see that he helped inspire a 2-1 win over Internacional in the second leg. It got them through to the final, where they’ll play Boca Juniors.
“He really is one on the agenda for January and I’ll be amazed if he doesn’t leave Fluminense. Will it be to Liverpool? I think they’re first in the queue. He’s definitely leaving Fluminense in January, and he may very well be turning up at Anfield.”
It does certainly seem if the tide is turning increasingly in Liverpool’s favour when it comes to a possible January move for Andre.
With Fluminense’s season running on a calendar year basis rather than the August-May cycle which is common in Europe, the Brazilian outfit are approaching the end of the campaign, and may allow the 22-year-old to leave with their blessing, having stayed for their Copa Libertadores pursuit.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of positional peers outside of Europe for pass completion (93.8%), standing out as a composed distributor of the ball who could conduct proceedings from the base of midfield.
In turn, that should give Alexis Mac Allister the freedom to play further forward and have a greater chance of matching the impact he made at Brighton last season, when he registered 12 goals and three assists (Transfermarkt).
Even in a significant midfield rebuild which saw four players in that position signed during the summer, Andre could be the final piece in the jigsaw should Liverpool manage to bring him on over the winter, the odds of which appear ever-shorter following Bailey’s update.