Should Andre Join Barcelona’s Captain Xavi?
Andre is a hard-charging midfielder who can effectively read danger to win his team’s ball back inside his own half. When necessary, he doesn’t think twice about putting his foot through the ball, and he can make a few driving runs from midfield. Although his primary role is defense, the Brazilian can also play as a central defender or a box-to-box midfielder when called upon.
Andre should give Barcelona head coach Xavi’s midfield unit more bite and sturdiness. He has what it takes to compete for a spot in the Nou Camp first team on a regular basis in the coming years.
The Brazilian midfield star has performed admirably in the middle of the park, as evidenced by his 90-minute average in Brasileirao of 1.8 tackles, 1.0 interceptions, 1.0 clearances, and 1.2 dribbles. In top-tier football, he has made 94.8% of his passes on attempt, demonstrating even excellent ball distribution (stats via whoscored).
The fact that his Fluminense contract expires at the end of 2026 makes it difficult for Barca to sign him for a low price during the upcoming January transfer window.
The 22-year-old, who is thought to be among the best players available in South America, has been strongly linked to a move to the Premier League in recent months.
Andre, a product of the Fluminense youth system, has four goals and three assists in 170 games for his current team across all competitions. He prefers to play at number six but can also play in the box.
The lynchpin, who was born in 2001, participated in an incredible 60 games in the 2023 season, starting 12 of them as Fluminense won the Copa Libertadores, a move that catapulted him into the spotlight in South America.
Additionally, Andre participated in every minute of Fluminense’s Club World Cup run. Under Fernando Diniz, the team easily defeated El Ahly in the semifinals before falling to Man City 4-0 in the championship game on Friday.
The Brazilian national team has also taken notice of the midfielder’s club exploits. This year, he has earned four caps for his country and has started their last two World Cup qualifying matches against Argentina and Colombia.
Andre’s contract with Fluminense runs until New Year’s Eve 2026; the highly-regarded Brazilian and the club agreed to an extension at the beginning of the year. However, it appears that a move to Europe is imminent.
Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United have expressed interest in Andre, who has stated that he wants to play in the Premier League. However, Fulham, a surprise contender, is currently thought to be leading the race as they prepare for life without Joao Palhinha.
Nothing is official yet, but reports suggest that Barcelona and Man City are keeping an eye on the situation, even though the Cottagers are reportedly drawing closer to signing Andre.
After Ilkay Gundogan left the team in the summer, the defending English, world, and European champions signed Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic, but neither player has established a regular starting position for the Citizens.
When the New Year arrives, a new lynchpin might also be on the shopping list if the out-of-favour Kalvin Phillips—who is rumored to be in talks with Juventus—completes the planned move away from the Etihad Stadium.
This summer, Gundogan moved from Man City to Catalonia, and Oriol Romeu joined from Girona to replace the long-serving Sergio Busquets. However, the 32-year-old has only started one of Barca’s last eight La Liga games.
Barcelona is rumored to be prioritizing an upgrade on Romeu in 2024, and moves for all of Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United, Arthur Vermeeren of Royal Antwerp, and Mikel Merino of Real Sociedad have been discussed.
It’s also rumored that the Blaugrana had long-standing interest in the 24-year-old’steammate,Martin Zubimendi, but that interest has since cooled.
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