Liverpool may have to wait for Andre transfer as Brazilian becomes new target
Liverpool may have to wait for another week to find out whether Andre, their new transfer target, is available this summer.
The Reds are interested in signing Andre, 22, from Brazilian club Fluminense this summer. Jurgen Klopp is looking to bring in a central midfielder after Jordan Henderson and Fabinho completed moves to Saudi Arabia, joining Al-Ettifaq and Al-Ittihad respectively.
Andre has made more than 100 appearances for Fluminense and won his first senior cap for Brazil earlier this year. It's believed Liverpool will make an initial offer of €25million (£21.5m) for the emerging talent and are willing to bid as high as €30m (£25.8m).
Liverpool are also interested in signing Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia and have already seen an offer of £37m rejected by the Championship club. It's thought they have made a revised offer of around £41m, but Southampton's asking price is £50m.
As reported by ESPN, Liverpool will have to wait until after Fluminense play Argentinos Juniors in the second leg of their Copa Libertadores clash at the Maracana - Fluminense's home ground - on August 8. The first leg took place in Argentina on Tuesday.
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If Fluminense reach the quarter-finals of South America's premier club competition, they may be less inclined to sell Andre. The midfielder still has three-and-a-half years remaining on his contract and is considered a key member of their squad.
It's believed Liverpool have been scouting Andre for a while, with Fulham recently seeing a €20m (£17.2m) bid rejected. Fluminense's president Mario Bittencourt has previously suggested the club will not sell Andre during the middle of the season.
Romeo Lavia is another player on Liverpool's transfer shortlist (Getty Images)Who do you think Liverpool should sign this summer? Let us know in the comments below!
"We are not going to deceive anyone, we have to make sales, but I can say that it will not be Andre," Bittencourt said a year ago. "We even negotiated his renewal. Angioni, our director of football, is negotiating with his representatives. We have no proposals, no inquiries for any player. But the player who can be sold will not be Andre."
Yet if Fluminense were knocked out of the Copa Libertadores, their stance may change. Fluminense have never won the prestigious competition before but lost the 2008 final on penalties to Ecuadorian side Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito.
The Brazilian football season runs throughout British summertime, hence why the Copa Libertadores is taking place now. It also explains why Andre is contracted to Fluminense until December 2026, rather than June 2026 or June 2027.
In terms of Lavia, Liverpool are hoping to agree a fee with Southampton before their Premier League campaign gets underway against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on August 13. The Belgium international, 19, is a wanted man after impressing for the Saints last term.
Southampton will not sell Lavia on the cheap because they paid Manchester City an initial £10.5m to sign him a year ago. They also owe City 20 per cent of any future sale.
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