As Arsenal prepares for the upcoming transfer window, the club has identified Fluminense midfielder Andre Trindade as a likely addition to the club’s young squad.
The 22-year-old was on Liverpool’s transfer list during the last summer window, but they failed to get the deal done, not because they didn’t offer a great deal but because Andre seems to have other ideas as well as showing the trait of a loyal servant to his boyhood club.
In an interview with CONMEBOL, André revealed that despite his dream of a move to a major European side, he decided to reject the opportunity to jump ship. As soon as the opportunity arose, he decided to stay to lead Fluminese to glory.
“In this past window, I didn’t talk about it; the first time I’m going to talk in more depth will be now,” he said. “It was an irrefutable proposal from the club that plays in a big league.
“I think every player daydreams of playing for a big club in Europe, in a big league. But I decided to keep my word because when the January window closed, Diniz [Fluminense manager] arrived and told me that he wanted me here until the end of the year. We didn’t know that a proposal of that amount would arrive, and I told him that, regardless of what happened, I would be there until the end of the season.
“It ended up passing and arriving in the middle of the year; we were still in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. It was a very difficult decision to make. I think if I had accepted this proposal, I don’t know if I would have felt 100% comfortable because I had already agreed with Diniz. He values his word and his honesty. I know that when we do the right things, good things always happen. And in January, he told me that, without a doubt, if I stayed, I would gamble, and my value would increase.
“For me, I had to not think about these things and just do the right thing. Our team could be eliminated in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores; we must make the decision. Arriving at the final, everyone will say now that I made the right decision. I think it was a very faithful gesture on my part to stay, to try to get this title and to try to help as much as possible. So today, regardless of whether our team advanced to the quarterfinals, semis, and now the final or not, I was sure that I made the right choice. We are in the final now; we will do everything, and I will give my life to win this title.
“At the end of the year, I don’t know what will happen; many things could happen. I’m sure that just having arrived here and knowing that it worked was something that helped me a lot as a person and helped me in my career. I think that, as Diniz said, when we make the right choice, when we are faithful, and when we act honestly, good things always happen ahead.”
Coincidentally, Fluminense reached the Copa Libertadores final, which is set to take place on November 4, 2023, after which several offers will be strongly considered for Andre.
Arsenal technical director Edu Gasper was sighted in Brazil during the international break and was specifically sighted with the Serie A side Fluminese. This has led to an indication that Arsenal has a strong interest in Andre Trindade, who is currently linked with the club.
Thomas Partey’s continuous injury concern, Elneny and Jorginho’s contract, which is set to expire in 2024, and the latter’s physical decline due to his age will raise the possibility of having one, two, or three of them gone by next summer.
Arsenal’s midfield will need reliable and long-term cover at the number 6 position, which makes Andre’s growing interest look like a well-timed opportunity for the club to take advantage of.
Declan Rice has hit the ground running since joining the club in the summer, which has eased the pain of relying too much on Partey, who has had a rough patch with several injury concerns.
Andre is regarded as a modern-day defensive midfielder with clean technical skills, despite idolizing Felipe Melo, who now plies his trade with Fluminese. Andre Trindade is more dynamic, rapid, and mobile, and tends to stay on his feet while tackling, despite his aggressive nature sometimes. He has one of the quickest feet, which allows him to dribble forward or beat his marker in a one-on-one situation. Though he tends to lose the ball in vital positions due to his overconfidence in his ability to dribble, he makes up for it with his quick recovery pace.
Andre Trindade doesn’t often make needle-threading passes that aim to split defenses open. He’s more of a younger version of Jorginho, who likes to move a lot, trying to keep recycling through him. His passes are sideways or backward to keep beating the press and subsequently tiring out the opponent.
He’s a combination of Jorginho, Rice (in terms of carrying the ball out from the back and progressing into the final third), and De Jong’s aggressiveness. His physical strength and frame make him look tailor-made for the Premier League, despite being just 22 years old.
Liverpool’s persistent interest in the Brazilian has shown that he’s considered ready to make the jump, but Arsenal might pose a threat when the transfer window opens.
