The Telegraph would have us believe that Liverpool have now turned their attentions to Inter Milan’s Brazilian midfielder Hernanes, after missing out on his club teammate Mateo Kovacic and Monaco’s Geoffrey Kondogbia, who ironically has just joined Inter.
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The Reds certainly seem intent on pushing through a move for a second midfielder this summer, despite already sealing a deal for Manchester City’s James Milner. Steven Gerrard’s departure has left us with a void that needs filling and Brendan Rodgers clearly wants a fresh batch of talent to help do just that.
Here’s everything you need to know about our new number one candidate…
Basic Information:
- Anderson Hernanes de Carvalho Viana Lima – known commonly as Hernanes – was born in Recife, Brazil, on 29 May 1985, making him 30 years old.
- Hernanes is a versatile midfield player capable of playing in a number of different positions. Last season, he was most predominately used as attacking midfielder, although he’s also capable of playing out wide on either flank or in a much deeper role.
- He is best known for his dribbling ability as well as his impressive shooting range. He likes to regularly push forward, find himself some space and unleash a shot from distance.
Club Career:
- Hernanes began his professional career with Sao Paulo in his native Brazil. He played more than 200 games for them in all competitions, scoring 33 goals in the process. He won the domestic league title in both 2007 and 2008.
- In 2010, he sealed an €11.1m move to Lazio. He played 154 times for the Italian giants, netting an impressive 40 goals and building a formidable reputation as one of Europe’s most talented young midfielders. He lifted his only trophy with the club – the Coppa Italia – in 2013.
- Despite protests from the Lazio fans, he was sold to domestic rivals Inter Milan in January 2014. He’s since made 50 appearances and scored seven goals, although he’s so far failed to change the team’s faltering fortunes both at home and on the continent.
International Career:
- Hernanes competed in the 2008 Olympic Games with the Brazilian youth team, helping them win a Bronze medal in the process.
- He made his debut for the first-team in 2008 and has since acquired 27 caps, scoring twice – against Gabon and France. In 2011, he was sent-off against the French for kicking Karim Benzema in the chest.
- He was part of the Brazil team that won the Confederations Cup in 2013 and reached the semi-finals of the World Cup twelve months later, although he only made three substitute appearances in the latter.
Fun Facts:
- Sao Paulo fans dedicated a mural to Hernanes inside their home stadium, Estadio do Morumbi.
- Hernanes has earned a number of favourable comparisons over the years. He has been compared with both Andrea Pirlo and Kaka, while former Brazil midfielder Edmilson once labelled him ‘the new Deco’.
- He celebrates all of his goals with a back-flip, as shown in the picture below.
