Liverpool cast their net especially wide last summer while attempting to revamp their whole midfield.
A lack of investment over the years from the Reds meant that they were left with plenty to do once the market opened.
In the end, things went remarkably well. Alexis Mac Allister has been a monumental success, Dominik Szoboszlai has done well, there’s more to come from Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo has been a real surprise.
Of the four, Endo is perhaps the one who has genuine question marks over his short-term future at Anfield.
As Liverpool looked to bring in an elite defensive midfielder, the Japan international was certainly not initially at the top of their list.
Former Liverpool target Andre close to Fulham move
It remains to be seen whether Arne Slot goes back in for a defensive midfielder this summer. For now it looks like Endo will stay at Liverpool.
To a lot of supporters though, the 31-year-old has not fixed Liverpool’s need to add a top level player at their base of their midfield.
Endo has done brilliantly well and exceeded expectations while with the Reds, but he is not a long-term solution.
One player who could have perhaps been the answer Liverpool were always looking for was Fluminense’s Andre Trindade.
READ MORE: Liverpool could really regret not coming back in to sign Andre Trindade
Andre turned down an offer from Liverpool after Fluminense urged him to stay last year. As Flu ended up winning the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history, maybe it was a worthwhile decision from the Brazil international.
However, with the side from Rio de Janeiro now struggling and rock bottom of the Serie A table, Andre looks set to jump ship.
According to Caught Offside, the 22-year-old is again in talks to join Fulham this summer. Fulham almost signed Andre last year but after Joao Palhinha’s move to Bayern Munich collapsed they didn’t follow through.
With Palhinha now gone though, it’s claimed that the Cottagers have the funds to meet the £25-29m asking price for Andre. The Brazilian is reportedly ‘open’ to joining Fulham with personal terms now ‘close’ to being agreed upon.
Liverpool should resume Andre interest
Liverpool obviously liked Andre a great deal as a player. And why would they not? South American football expert Tim Vickery says Andre is a ‘quick’ player who could be perfect for the Reds.
The midfielder was previously claimed to have a release clause in his Fluminense contract which would not break the bank.
With the Rio team really struggling this season and under real threat of relegation, the funds a deal for Andre could generate are surely too good to turn down this time.
He is clearly happy to leave now, and given how close Andre came to joining Liverpool – and the fact that the Reds haven’t addressed the problem he could fix – there’s no reason Slot shouldn’t match what Fulham are offering.
For the time being, it doesn’t seem as though Liverpool will reignite their interest. But we’d argue that they really should.
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