Liverpool have recently been linked with a move for an exciting midfield prospect from verdant Brazil, but it's not Andre, with certain reports suggesting that the Fluminense star may not be headed for Anfield in January after all.
Instead, Jurgen Klopp's side might be homing in on another exciting prospect in Corinthian's Gabriel Moscardo, who has been causing quite the stir with his impressive showings in the Brasileiro Serie A.
Liverpool transfer news – Gabriel Moscardo
According to the Evening Standard, Liverpool are set to battle Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea for Moscardo's signature, with Barcelona also attentive to the situation.
Valued at £26m, the 18-year-old is considered one of the brightest starlets in South America and is expected to search for pastures new when the Brazilian league season concludes in December, opening the door to a January acquisition for European outfits.
A compelling youngster, Liverpool would love to beat the Blues to his signing, strengthening their centre but also getting one over on Todd Boehly and co having been left hot under the collar when Romeo Lavia opted for Stamford Bridge this summer.
How Liverpool lost Romeo Lavia
Chelsea completed the signing of Lavia from Southampton in a deal totalling £58m in August after a high-profile transfer battle with the Reds, compounding Klopp's misery after Moises Caicedo completed a British-record £115m move to west London just days before after rejecting Liverpool's advances.
Lavia had been destined for a move to Merseyside after multiple attempted offers and months of groundwork from Liverpool, but after attempting to steal Caicedo from under Chelsea's nose and coming up fruitless, the young Belgian was dissuaded.
In the end, Liverpool decided to make a surprise £16m swoop for Stuttgart midfielder Wataru Endo, aged 30, providing a swift solution without launching a panic buy for an expensive alternative.
A few eyebrows were raised, and while Endo is very much a squad option, he is a valuable member as the Anfield side compete across multiple fronts.
Now, Moscardo could indeed be the perfect precocious signing to forge a career at Liverpool, improving his skills and blooming into a first-class phenom in years to come, getting one over on Chelsea.
They do say that revenge is a dish best-served cold…
Gabriel Moscardo's season in numbers
Very much in the embryonic stage of his career, Moscardo has broken into Corinthian's first team in 2023 and has now chalked up 23 senior appearances, earning the attention of some of Europe's biggest outfits.
Described as an "animal" by journalist Adria Jimenez Munoz, Moscardo has played 16 times in the league this season, as per Sofascore, completing 83% of his passes, making 2.1 tackles and 3.1 ball recoveries per game, succeeding with 61% of his dribbles and winning 54% of his duels.
As per FBref, Moscardo ranks among the top 7% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Brasileiro Serie A for successful take-ons, the top 1% for blocks, the top 8% for tackles, the top 14% for interceptions, the top 13% for clearances and the top 15% for aerial wins per 90.
He's a rock, not yet refined but powerful and prodigious in his craft, and Klopp could nurture him toward his zenith at Liverpool, honing his defensive skills and absorbing the ball-playing wisdom from senior peers such as Alexis Mac Allister and Thiago Alcantara.
If Liverpool need any more convincing, Moscardo has been likened to compatriot Fabinho by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who dubbed him a "modern holding midfielder", and given the incredible success that the 30-year-old found over multiple years on Merseyside, Klopp might be wise to swoop for the dream heir.
Fabinho signed for Liverpool from Monaco for £44m in 2018 and made 219 appearances – winning all the silverware under Klopp's wing to date – before declining last season and being sold to Al Ittihad for a reported £40m in the summer.
Once considered "the best" in his position by pundit Gary Neville, Fabinho was a slick and assured passer and a tenacious mountain in the middle for Liverpool at their best, soaking up pressure and recycling play superlatively, allowing his frontal peers to wreak havoc up ahead.
Moscardo might be young, but if he is indeed of the same ilk then it might be a prudent move to bring him to Anfield, finding a centrepiece to glue the Liverpool squad together for years to come.