Opinion: Borussia Dortmund should consider André as a replacement for Jude Bellingham

How André could be the solution for Borussia Dortmund

As a disclaimer, André would probably need some time to adapt to Borussia Dortmund if they do decide to sign him. In tactical terms, Fluminense plays a highly-focused possession game, in which André plays mainly as a pivot, starting the playmaking from the back.

Despite the fact that he plays more as a six than a creative eight, Fernando Diniz’s system does not require offensively fixed positions and well-defined line structures. This strategy allows players to freely move between the lines to find spaces and one-two possibilities.

For that reason, André could adapt to different roles in the middle of the park, both as a pivot six or a box-to-box eight like Jude Bellingham used to be. In fact, Bellingham played in the number six roles on a few occasions, searching for the ball in the defensive third and acting as the deep-lying playmaker.

André is not necessarily known for his goals, but this fact has more to do with his positioning at Fluminense. His past as a youth team striker does indicate that he can transition to a more offensive position, while his tactical IQ could help him adapt to specific circumstances and find his teammates in strong positions. Add to that his physicality, ability to take players on, and tackling, and he could certainly be well suited to a league like the Bundesliga.

In other words, André is not exactly like Bellingham, but he could turn into a well-rounded midfielder if developed by a club like Borussia Dortmund. According to Transfermarkt, André is valued at 14 million euros, a bargain compared to the talent he possesses and the potential he has.

Jude Bellingham’s instant impact showed that Borussia Dortmund need to start looking for talents in other countries than just specifically Germany. André has the attributes to develop into an excellent versatile midfielder, and pursuing a move for him would have plenty of upside for BVB.