Transfer Centre

Fluminense midfielder Andre open to January exit amid Liverpool interest

By Oliver Thomas, Senior Reporter | 31 October 2023

Fluminense's Andre open to January exit amid Liverpool interest

Fluminense midfielder Andre reveals that he is open to leaving the club in January and explains why he turned down the chance to depart in the summer amid reported interest from Liverpool.

Fluminense midfielder Andre has revealed that he is open to leaving the club in January and has explained why he turned down the chance to depart in the summer amid reported interest from Liverpool.

The Reds allegedly failed with a £25m offer for the 22-year-old in the summer at a time when manager Jurgen Klopp oversaw a major midfield overhaul of his squad.

Fluminense refused to part ways with Andre as they were bidding to progress to the latter stages of Copa Libertadores – South America's equivalent of the Champions League.

The Brazilian giants have since reached the final and will endeavour to win the competition for the first time in their history when they face Boca Juniors on Saturday.

Andre has since opened up on his decision to stay at Fluminense and help the club in their quest for Copa Libertadores glory, but the Liverpool-linked midfielder has admitted that he would be interested in a transfer to Europe in 2024.

Fluminense's Andre pictured on April 18, 2023 © Reuters

Speaking in an interview with CONMEBOL Libertadores, as quoted by The Mirror, ahead of Saturday's showpiece event, Andre said: "In this past window I didn't talk about [a transfer exit], the first time I'm going to talk in more depth will be now. It really was an irrefutable proposal from the club that plays in a big league.

"I think every player one day dreams of playing for a big club in Europe, in a big league. But I decided to keep my word because when the January window closed, [Fernando] Diniz (Fluminense manager) arrived and told me that he wanted me here until the end of the year. We didn't know that a proposal of that amount would arrive and I told him that, regardless of what happened, I would be there until the end of the season.

"It ended up passing and arriving in the middle of the year, we were still in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. It was a very difficult decision to make. I think if I had accepted this proposal, I don't know if I would have felt 100% comfortable because I had already agreed with Diniz.

"He really values his word, his honesty. I know that when we do the right things, good things always happen. And in January he told me that without a doubt, if I stayed I would gamble and my value would increase."

Fluminense midfielder Andre in action in April 2023. © Reuters

Andre joined Fluminense at the age of 12 before making his professional debut for the club in September 2020, and he has since developed into a star player for the Rio de Janeiro-based outfit.

Primarily playing as a defensive midfielder, Andre has made a total of 160 first-team appearances for Fluminense in all competitions, scoring four goals and registering three assists.

Andre has started 50 of his 52 appearances during the 2023 campaign and has featured in all 12 matches en route to the Copa Libertadores final.

Fluminense's No.7 made his international debut for Brazil in June before earning his second cap earlier this month in a World Cup qualifier against Venezuela.

It is understood that Liverpool intend to make a winter-window move for Andre, who is under contract at Fluminense until December 2026 and is represented by the same agent as Reds duo Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota – super-agent Jorge Mendes.