Fulham have spent much of the summer transfer window leading the race to sign Fluminense midfielder André. The Cottagers have been targeting the 22-year-old since January and reportedly made a bid early last month which was rejected
But with Liverpool's pursuit of Roméo Lavia ongoing, and a sizeable gulf in valuation between the Merseyside club and Southampton, The Reds have now reportedly joined the race for André.
This could prove to be quite problematic for Marco Silva's side, as Liverpool would likely be able to offer higher wages and a larger fee, if necessary, to tempt the player to the North. And, with the greatest of respect to them, even Fulham fans would admit that Liverpool is a more tempting destination for any player - even after a disappointing 2022/23 campaign.
It should also be noted that there has been some speculation that Liverpool may move for André regardless of whether or not they sign Lavia. Though, with their reported limited budget, it remains to be seen how feasible this would be.
The deal
It is by no means an easy transfer for any side to pull off. André has a reported £35m release clause, which the club sees as the only way that he leaves during this transfer window - due to their season running through until December. Alternatively, the Brazilian giants would be willing to agree a deal to sell him during the January transfer window, when their season is complete.
To strike a deal, they would demand a little over £22m and a 20% sell-on clause too, which could be seen as a much more economically viable option for pursuing clubs. But it would mean potential gaps in midfield for the first half of the season, especially for Liverpool who are seemingly building a brand new midfield from scratch following the departures of Fabinho, Naby Keïta and captain Jordan Henderson.
And the player certainly doesn't seem to have any interest in forcing through a move, having recently spoken on the matter:
"Obviously I'm focused and very happy [...] I just renewed my contract until 2026."
"It's normal to get offers, but I'm focused here on Fluminense and having an excellent season."
André has also attracted notable interest from Wolves, Barcelona and Man United, though they are not thought to be actively working on any potential deal for him at the moment.
What to expect from André
The Brazilian has played in numerous positions during his career but has most recently found himself operating as a number 6 - a role that has seen him have great success.
He is already widely regarded as one of the most technical players at Fluminense and, in fact, the entire Brasileiro Série A. One of his best attributes is his passing, and he boasts a 93.1% pass completion rate - which is higher than Declan Rice (86.5%) and Moisés Caicedo (88.5%).
He is also considered by those who watch him to be a very good dribbler, and physically dominant too. And, despite being just 5ft 9in, he has even been trusted to play as a centre-back in games where Fluminense need an important result.
If you're not yet sold on André, you should know that he is a senior Brazilian international, having recently been selected over the likes of Fabinho. Anybody in Brazil will tell you that he is one of the best defensive midfielders in the country, and continent, so it's no surprise that he has attracted wide interest.
The consequences
Missing out on André would be a massive loss for Fulham. With Aleksandar Mitrović looking likely to leave, and João Palhinha also drawing plenty of interest, improving their squad is vital to ensure that they do not fall victim to the notorious 'second-season syndrome' and toy with the idea of relegation.
At Liverpool, it would represent a significant step up for André, and he would need to hit the ground running. Other midfield options at the club may allow him some time to adjust to the level, but he will still need to come good quickly.
Many argue that he is already plenty good enough to start for top European teams, but only time will tell if that proves to be true.
Fulham are currently considered to still be the favourites to secure his signature, but need to act very, very quickly as Liverpool do not usually mess about on transfer dealings - and rumours of their interest are mounting.