Liverpool have hit a huge stumbling block in their pursuit of Andre after Fluminense rejected a €30million (£25m) bid for the Brazil star.
Since the departures of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner, Jurgen Klopp has been in desperate need of new defensive midfielders.
Wataru Endo has arrived from Stuttgart but at least one more arrival is required to allow the Reds to compete for the top prizes this season.
However, the club’s efforts to recruit a young, top-class No.6 have gone disastrously so far, infamously missing out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to rivals Chelsea.
They are attempting to move on quickly from that embarrassment, launching a move for highly-rated Brazil international Andre, who earlier this summer had attracted interest from Fulham but the Cottagers had a £17m offer rejected
The 22-year-old has already made 148 appearances for Fluminense and is currently competing in the Copa Libertadores, where he had helped his boyhood club reach the quarter-final stage.
And therein lies the problem for Liverpool, as ESPN report that even if they were to up their offer, Fluminense have no interest in letting their star go this summer while he can help them win South American’s equivalent of the Champions League.
The club’s board have informed Klopp and co. of this and as such they may well drop their interest in Andre altogether and will not return to make an new offer next year.
This is desperately disappointing for Liverpool, who further reports had claimed had already agreed personal terms with the player.
They will of course have other targets in mind, with links to Manchester City and England star Kalvin Phillips cropping up again.
For now, Liverpool are gearing up for Sunday’s big away clash at Newcastle.
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