Liverpool can resurrect their transfer market status with miracle move for £25m midfielder

Liverpool are having quite the summer and the verdict on whether it has been a successful one or not will probably boil down to these final days of the transfer window. Time is quickly running out and Jurgen Klopp still has at least one deal to get over the line before he can give his squad the nod of approval.

The Reds entered the window with one priority mission in mind — build a midfield strong enough to launch the team back into top four, if not title contention, and maybe instil some fear into their closest opponents.

The quest got off to a strong start after heavily-linked target Alexis Mac Allister became the first new signing of the summer, and for quite the bargain price too. Brighton quickly learned from the exit of their World Cup winner by pocketing a gargantuan £115 million for 21-year-old Moisés Caicedo, but we will get onto that in due course.

So, Mac Allister came through the door and fans were delighted with the £35 million deal. They were also pleased to see that Liverpool still possess a lure when it comes to bringing in new talent; despite the other elite clubs heavily interested in the Argentinian, he chose Anfield. Excellent.

Then, Dominik Szoboszlai arrived, proving that the club are willing to spend big this summer and are taking Klopp’s wishes and season aims seriously. Almost £100 million has been splashed on the Hungarian and Mac Allister, and both joined the club fairly quickly. Fast business, another big green flag for the fans. But it seems the footballing gods looked at Liverpool at that point as said, ‘Hmm, no. That’s enough good luck for you.’

There was always going to be one more midfield signing before Klopp felt the job was done. As that search took place, Roméo Lavia became a constant on the Liverpool rumour mill and the Reds were utterly determined to get him in a red shirt before the window closed. Why couldn’t they do it? They’d gotten their man in Mac Allister, surely they could tempt a rising star who had just been relegated to join Klopp’s renewed project.

But Southampton played hard ball with their asking price, and as talks went back and forth, two senior midfielders made their way to the exit. Jordan Henderson and Fabinho both gave in to the temptation of the Saudi Pro League and, with James Milner also gone, Liverpool were suddenly scrambling to fill the pretty hefty gap left behind.

Out of nowhere, the Reds slapped a mammoth £111 million offer down for the aforementioned Caicedo, plotting to pull off the ultimate Chelsea hijack. The news almost broke the internet - Brighton accepted the bid and the Ecuadorian was set for a medical, until he wasn’t. Caicedo made it abundantly clear he did not want to leave the south coast for anyone but Chelsea. 1-0 to the Blues.

Then, to really splatter egg on Liverpool’s face, Mauricio Pochettino and co swooped in like thieves in the night and unpicked every hour of work the Reds had put into trying to sign Lavia. The man they’d spent months negotiating with and bidding for had moved to their rivals, just like that. 2-0 to the Blues. Suffice to say it was an extremely frustrating time for Liverpool fans, and probably even more so for those working on the deal.

Since then, Liverpool have managed to bring in Wataru Endo as an emergency option, and while he certainly provides a lot of talent and experience, it seems a little like a panicked, rushed signing. Granted, maybe the Reds did need a panicked, rushed signing to ease some nerves, but they’re also considering a move for Fluminense’s André and if they can pull that off, they will earn back quite a few status points in the transfer market.

After losing their top priority signing and failing to land a nine-figure deal, Liverpool need to redeem their stature. Fluminense have made it clear that André is not for sale until at least January, but the Reds are having none of it.

They’re extremely keen on signing the 22-year-old, and have been on his trail for some time now. ESPN has provided the latest on their pursuit - a €30 million (£25m) bid has been rejected by the Brazilian outfit, who are adamant on keeping him beyond the summer. But Liverpool’s persuasion usually has ways of working its magic.

The Merseyside outfit want André now, not in January. And that sounds like the equivalent of a parent telling their child to clean your room now, not later. It’s also worth noting that the £25 million would already have broken Fluminense’s transfer record, so any improved offer that Liverpool return with will be increasingly difficult to turn down.

Moreover, the Reds have said they will not be returning for André once the summer window shuts. We’re now in the territory of, ‘I can pick you up from your friend’s house now and not a moment later, take it or leave it.’

To put even more pressure on Fluminense, André has reportedly already agreed personal terms with Liverpool and he is very much set on making the move to the Premier League. That’s according to Brazilian journalist Emmanuel Luiz, who told RedMenTV that Manchester United also enquired about André, but were met with the news that he had already agreed conditions with their rivals. He said: “I called some guys close to André, and they said to me, Andre said to Fluminense ‘I want to go to Liverpool, I want to go, I have personal terms agreed.’”

Liverpool are in a strong position with André himself but the real test will be on whether they can make his club dance to their tune. Fluminense desperately need him for their Copa Libertadores run - essentially the equivalent of the Champions League - and the Brazilian outfit have the quarter-finals to tackle.

It will be a very, very tough ask, but if the Reds can somehow get a deal over the line, their status in the transfer market will ne reinstated and they will have made a huge statement heading into the rest of the season.