It would be fair to assume that now that Jurgen Klopp has enjoyed the fruits of his summer midfield rebuild at Liverpool, attention would be turned to other areas of the pitch – namely, the defence.
Yes, Joel Matip endured a crushing premature conclusion to his campaign (and potentially even his illustrious Anfield career) after suffering an ACL injury against Fulham earlier in December, with his contract set for expiry in June.
And while the backline will receive attention in the near future, the Reds manager appears to be eager to strengthen his engine room further with a top-class holding midfielder.
True, Alexis Mac Allister has done a fine job anchoring the midfield but he will feel that his creative attributes are better served in a No. 8 role.
Regardless, he's been a competent – albeit divergent – replacement for Fabinho, who was sold to Al-Ittihad for £40m in the summer after a stark decline.
A replacement was lined up to no avail, but Klopp might just be considering a return for this touted summer target…
Liverpool transfer news – Andre
According to Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte, Liverpool could be in with a chance to sign Fluminense midfielder Andre after the Brasileiro Serie A club's asking price of £30m has seen little positive movement from interested parties.
Arsenal and Fulham have also watched the player's performances with fervour over the past several months, with the Cottagers in particular vying to secure his signature.
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But with Fluminense now reportedly accepting the possibility of selling him next summer – midway through the Brazilian season – to fit the plans of European outfits, Liverpool could invest in the defence this winter with the knowledge that the dream defensive midfielder lies waiting at the end of the campaign.
Andre's season in numbers
With Fluminense having played Manchester City in the Club World Cup final, Andre had a great opportunity to strut his stuff against Klopp's rivals, revealing to reporter Ben Jacobs that "his dream is clear".
He is, of course, addressing questions regarding his desire to make the interminable voyage across the North Atlantic Ocean toward English shores, where he could transfer the core qualities that have earned him such glittering acclaim in his homeland.
As per Sofascore, the 22-year-old has been an omnipresent machine in the centre of the park for his outfit this season, making 31 appearances in the Brazilian top-flight, completing 96% of his passes, making 6.9 ball recoveries per game and winning 70% of his dribbles and 60% of his ground duels. Evidently this is a progressive midfielder who also has a degree of no-nonsense pedigree to his game.
Hailed as a "leader" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his talismanic performances from the centre, the two-cap Brazil international also replicated his noteworthy efforts on the continental stage, with Flu conquering South America in the Copa Libertadores and defeating Argentinian giants Boca Junior in the final.
In this match, Andre won eight duels, completed 95% of his passes, made four tackles and succeeded with both of his attempted dribbles, crucial in gleaning gold.
Andre's style of play
So it's clear that Andre is a proficient distributor and it's obvious that he's only too happy to contribute to the match action with a well-placed challenge, but the truth is he has that prodigious vein of quality coursing under the surface that scant few players are bestowed with.
Passing
Aerial duels
Dribbling
Through balls
Concentration
*Sourced via WhoScored
As per FBref, the Brazilian ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Brasileiro Serie A over the past year for pass completion and passes attempted, the top 25% for progressive carries and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90, showcasing his first-class ball-playing ability and robustness in the centre of the engine room.
Journalist Fernando Campos is among those dazzled by the South American's skills, saying: "André Trindade is the best midfielder in the country and is a monster of a player."
He is combative and industrious and appears to boast the modern skill set of a defensive midfielder who marries ball-playing skills with traditional dominance in the defensive duties, much like Liverpool's very own Thiago Alcantara.
Thiago Alcantara's Liverpool future
Liverpool signed Thiago from German giants Bayern Munich for around £25m in 2020, with Klopp opting to replace Gini Wijnaldum in the centre of the park with a different type of central star.
The 32-year-old has made 97 displays for the club and notably won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, but injuries have been too often the narrative and he has not featured at all this season as he recovers from a long-term issue.
The maestro ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 8% for successful take-ons, the top 11% for tackles and the top 5% for interceptions per 90.
Out of contact at the end of the season, Klopp and co will need to assess their options and work out who could be the perfect replacement, and surely, given the similarities in style, Andre could be the solution.
A distinguished and cultured veteran of the game, it's staggering to think that Liverpool have been without his services all season, and just how integral Thiago could be as the Anfield side chase down the Premier League title over the coming months.
Described as an "orchestrator" by journalist and U23 scout Antonio Mango, Andre has the dexterity to serve as the string-puller, weaving and working his skill on the Liverpool midfield to strengthen and improve the squad.
There's no telling whether Thiago will end his Merseyside journey at the end of the campaign, but for all of his genius, the silky Spaniard is simply too unreliable on the fitness front as he approaches his 33rd year.
Andre is the natural successor, emulating the passing prowess and tenacity in the tackle to ensure that Klopp obtains a tool capable of taking his revived Liverpool side to the next gear.