Neil Jones has said that Liverpool ‘are looking at’ a potential move for Fluminense midfielder Andre Trindade, either this month or ahead of the January transfer window.
The Reds have been linked with the 22-year-old over the past couple of weeks, and he could possibly be snapped up for a modest £17m from the Brazilian club (Pedro Sepulveda).
Along with Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, he’s been at the forefront of the Anfield rumour mill in recent days, and a crucial fixture for his side over the next 48 hours could have a significant bearing on his immediate future.
Speaking exclusively to Empire of the Kop’s Substack, Jones said: “Andre is certainly a player that Liverpool are looking at, and if Fluminense were to go out of the Copa Libertadores this week then that could be a situation that moves.
“He’s a different kind of player to Lavia, but one that has attributes that Liverpool like – namely, a bit of bite and a strong mentality. I could see that becoming an option in the coming weeks, or maybe a deal being set up for January.”
It had been reported by ESPN Brazil last week that Fluminense’s stance on whether or not Andre would be for sale this month could depend on the outcome of their Copa Libertadores round of 16 clash against Argentinos Juniors on Tuesday night, with the tie level at 1-1 after the first leg.
Should the Brazilian club progress, it’s probable that they’d be all the more determined to keep hold of a player who could be pivotal to their hopes of winning the tournament.
As per FBref, he ranks in the 53rd percentile of midfielders in ‘Men’s Next 8 Competitions’ over the past year for tackles per game, which on first glance mightn’t make him seem like the most industrious of engine room operators to offer ‘bite’ in that area of the pitch.
However, as noted in a scout report for Breaking The Lines, ‘his ability to tackle opponents rarely relies on him having to go to ground’ due to his awareness of how to position his body so that he doesn’t let opponents past him easily.
While Jones is confident that a prospective third bid from Liverpool for Lavia could convince Southampton to sell, at just £17m it’d seem silly not to at least test the waters with Fluminense for Andre, especially if their Copa Libertadores bubble is burst tomorrow night.
#Ep83 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones