In the latest twist to Liverpool’s midfield rebuild, a reliable journalist has reported that “contact” has been made over Fluminense midfielder Andre.
The situation appears to be moving at a rapid rate, but the Reds look to have added another name to their list of summer targets with talks stalling over the potential signing of Romeo Lavia.
Liverpool had a second bid for the Southampton midfielder rejected on Tuesday afternoon, with various stories suggesting that the club have turned their attentions to other targets.
Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy has since reported that Liverpool have contacted Fluminense over a potential deal for the 22-year-old.
Liverpool have officially made contact with Fluminense over the possibility of signing midfielder Andre.
— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) August 1, 2023
The landscape looks to be constantly changing, and that could in part be due to the fact that the Brazilian transfer window closes on August 2.
While Liverpool, as the buying club, could still pursue a deal beyond that deadline, it would leave Fluminense with little to no time to find a replacement, making the transfer a difficult and unlikely one to complete this summer.
It could very conceivably be a negotiating tactic in an ongoing process to secure the signature of Lavia, but with the beginning of the Premier League season around the corner something will have to give in the very near future.
It was reported earlier on Tuesday that the Reds were “exploring” a potential move for Andre, with things since gathering pace while Lavia talks continue to stall.
The next steps in the process to replenish Liverpool’s midfield are anyone’s guess, but there certainly appears to be a standoff with Southampton as the two clubs continue to have different perceptions of the player’s valuation.
Man City have an option to repurchase Lavia for £50 million next summer having sold him to the Saints in 2022, placing Southampton in a healthy bargaining position in this scenario.
Whether Liverpool make a formal approach for Andre remains to be seen, but there remains plenty of work to be done in the coming weeks.
The Reds are now without a defensive midfield specialist following the departure of Fabinho to the Middle East, with the season getting underway as soon as August 13.
