With Liverpool target Andre enjoying success at Fluminense, we wanted to know more about the likeable midfielder ahead of the January transfer window.
After reaching the Copa Libertadores final with Fluminense, we thought it was time to find out more about Liverpool’s announced transfer target Andreo.
The 22-year-old first came onto the radar of supporters this summer when Liverpool turned to Fluminense for the midfielder. Club president Mario Bittencourt has since told ESPN that he will not be available for sale until January.
The Fluminense president said he told Liverpool boss Billy Hogan: “If you want to buy him now to take him in January, we can start talking, or if you want to wait until December, we’ll talk in December.”
To find out more about Andrei, the This Is Anfield reporter spoke to Josue Seixas (@josue_seixas) and Joao Guilherme, who manages the Fluminense for Foreigners account (@Fluminense_epo). What kind of player is he?
JOSUE: Andre is a player with good vision and good passing ability. Despite his young age, he is very mature and can run in defense to help almost every time they have the ball.
In manager Fernando Diniz’s system, where players don’t hit the ball long, he gets close to defenders for short passes and build-ups.
JOAO: He is the first man in the formation and sometimes goes between the two central defenders to start the game. Sometimes, when Fluminense needs to get a result, he becomes a left-sided central defender. I know you need a central defender, but it’s not him.
What is his potential?
JOAO: In this century, Fluminense was developed by Marcelo, the left back of Real Madrid, Thiago Silva and Fabinho. I think he has more potential than Fabinho. He has the third greatest potential in our youth academy this century.
JOSUE: I think it’s hard to say how much a player can achieve.
A lot of Brazilian defensive midfielders are doing well now, like Bruno Guimaraes, and I think Andre would compete with them.
What makes him so good?
JOAO: That’s all; the quality of his passing, his deflection, his ball recovery, his defensive awareness. He has good attacking concepts because he started in the youth academy at the age of 9, then became 10, then 8 and then 6.
He doesn’t attack often because he shouldn’t in Diniz’s team.
In Diniz’s style of play, the central defenders and one of the defensive midfielders do not normally attack and all the other players do. He needs to stay in defense to start games to be a sensible player.
Would his style suit Liverpool? JOSUE: Yes, I think so. He is like Fabinho on the pitch and is a younger player but much more mature.
He is now a member of the Brazilian national team and has even earned a place ahead of some Premier League players. I think he would need some adjustment like any player but could do well there.
JOAO: He could be a starter for 99% of the teams in the world. He is now a starter at Liverpool.
He is better than Waru Endo; at number 6 he is better than Alexis Mac Allister.
Can Fluminense be sold?
JOAO: He’s leaving. Fluminense did everything to get him to the Libertadores. Think of it as Philippe Coutinho.
JOSUE: I think (Bittencourt’s quotes) show how important Andre is to what Fluminense is trying to achieve this year, which is the Libertadores title.
The team wouldn’t work if he wasn’t available, I think they will try to keep him as long as possible, so December, at the end of the Brazilian season.
How important is Andres for Fluminense in the run to the final?
JOSUE: Andre is one of the best players in this Fluminense team. He is trusted by the players, fans and especially Diniz.
He provides good support in defense by not giving up plays and also in attack with his vision which leads to good passes and goals.
I was at the Maracana when Fluminense faced Olimpia in the Libertadores and he scored the club’s first goal when the game was a bit tense because Fluminense created good chances but did not convert them into goals.
JOAO: The picture shows Virgil van Dijk in 2018, he is so important for the work of the team.
He is the best in the continent in his position, there is no way we can replace him at the same level. Prediction for Libertadores final against Boca Juniors?
JOSUE: I think Fluminense have the biggest advantage because they play at the Maracana stadium, where their fans are likely to make a lot of noise.
They played very well this year and we can’t forget that Germana Cano has another great year with many goals. The team also has Andre in great form and Marcelo (ex-Real Madrid) leading them both on and off the pitch. But Boca Juniors proved they are tough when they beat Palmeiras on penalties. Their games were not very good, but as they say in Brazil, they know how to suffer.
JOAO: I bought tickets to the final, I’m there. I bought them a month ago when the sale started.
Fluminense hasn’t arrived yet, but I thought if we did and I wasn’t there. I couldn’t imagine it, so I had to buy it.
I think Fluminense will win because our opponent Boca Juniors is not playing very well. They didn’t win a single match in the playoffs, but still made it to the finals.
