Liverpool line up midfield transfer alternative after latest Lavia blow

Tom Hancock

1 Aug 2023 09:58 CDT
3 min read

Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool badge, in front of a panorama of Anfield in red — © ProShots

Liverpool are reportedly exploring a move for Fluminense and Brazil midfielder Andre as an alternative to Romeo Lavia.

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The Reds are set to have another bid for Lavia rejected by Southampton, and they appear to have at least one eye elsewhere.

Lavia is valued at around £50m by the Saints, but Liverpool’s highest offer so far is said to be worth only £42m.

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Now, according to Sky Sports, the 2019/20 Premier League champions have ‘officially made contact with Fluminense’ about a potential deal for Andre.

The 22-year-old rose through the youth ranks of the iconic Rio club and has made over 100 first-team appearances.

Named in the Brazilian top-flight’s 2022 team of the year, he made his international debut in a friendly against Senegal earlier this summer.

Our in-house Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) model currently values Andre at €8.1m (£6.9m) – which, it goes without saying, would be a pinch compared to the kind of fee Liverpool would seemingly have to pay for Lavia.

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Five out, two in – so far…

Midfield was always going to be an area of priority for Liverpool this summer – not just with several midfielders leaving as free agents – namely James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita – but also because of diminishing performance levels from others.

And the Reds have been left even lighter in the middle of the park by the recent double departure of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to the Saudi Pro League.

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai had already joined from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively, but there is more work to be done if Klopp is to have at his disposal the kind of talent pool necessary to help Liverpool bounce back from their thoroughly disappointing 2023/24 season.