Liverpool have identified Fluminense’s Andre Trindade as an alternative to Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, as per reports.
The Reds have had a second bid worth £41million (h/t The Athletic) for Lavia rejected by Southampton, who value the teenager at £50million. Lavia has attracted plenty of interest from the top Premier League clubs after the Saints’ relegation at the end of last season, but it is Liverpool who are currently pushing hardest for his signature.
According to Sky Sports, Liverpool could make a move for Fluminense talent Andre Trindade if Southampton refuse to drop their asking price for Lavia.
Andre, 22, among the midfielders on Liverpool’s shortlist, nearly joined Fulham in January. Alongside Liverpool, the midfielder’s representatives have spoken with several clubs including Tottenham, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal.
Liverpool have officially made contact with Fluminense over the possibility of signing midfielder Andre 📞 pic.twitter.com/if6Ov3awXz
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 1, 2023
The report adds Fluminense are reluctant to let Andre leave this summer, but the player has set his sights on a move to Liverpool.
Andre Trindade to Liverpool – A better alternative to Lavia?
Liverpool are in the hunt for a new player who can fit into the No.6 role following the exits of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Pro League clubs Al-Ettifaq and Al-Ittihad respectively. Jurgen Klopp has made Romeo Lavia his primary target to fill in that role, with Liverpool seeing a second bid being rejected by Southampton on Tuesday.
Southampton’s reluctance to budge from their £50million asking price for Lavia could possibly make Liverpool look for alternatives, even though the outlay for Lavia would be long-term considering he is only 19 years of age. Andre Trindade has emerged as an option for the Reds.
Andre isn’t a household name in Europe, with the 22-year-old having spent his entire playing career in Brazil. Having come through the youth ranks at Fluminense, he broke out in the senior team in 2020, helping the Rio-based club claim successive Campeonato Carioca and Guanabara Cup doubles. He is an established player for Fluminense and his progress at club level earned him his first cap for Brazil in June.
A mooted £20million fee for Andre means he’ll undoubtedly be a cheaper alternative to Lavia. However, even if Liverpool need to pay considerably less for Andre, they must view the overall £50million package for Lavia as a worthy investment, considering the obvious need to bring in a No. 6 with Premier League experience.
Lavia shone for Southampton in a torrid campaign that ended in relegation, impressing with his passing ability, defensive nous and positional awareness. Considering it was his breakout season in the top-flight, the Belgian was extremely solid.
Given Fabinho established himself as one of the best players in his position at Anfield, his departure last month means a significant void needs filling. While Lavia is inexperienced in his own right, he has 29 league appearances under his banner and that makes him a lot more attractive proposition than Andre.
Having only played at Brazil so far in his career, the biggest concern about Andre is perhaps how long it could take him to adapt to his new surroundings. As he will have to potentially replace Fabinho and operate from a crucial position in this Liverpool team, Andre’s signing—even if it will cost lesser than Lavia—would be risky.
Thus, the Reds must pull out all the stops to try and get Lavia. The 19-year-old could be a solid signing for a Liverpool side desperate to make amends for last season.
