André shines for Corinthians, intensifying the midfield battle | OneFootball

Promoted last season, midfielder André has been becoming one of the key players in the Corinthians squad. Although he is not an undisputed starter, the 19-year-old has featured in 13 of Timão’s 15 matches this season and has delivered strong performances in the black-and-white shirt.

Since being promoted in August 2025, André has taken the field 24 times and has stood out in both areas of the pitch. During this period, the midfielder has scored four goals and boasts excellent defensive numbers.

According to data from Sofascore, André has already tallied 62 balls recovered and 37 tackles. This gives him an average of 4.1 defensive contributions per game.

Additionally, André has also posted good numbers with the ball at his feet. The midfielder has completed 20 dribbles and has already suffered 27 fouls at the start of his journey with Corinthians.

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Fierce battle in midfield

André’s strong performances have intensified the competition for a starting spot in midfield. Alongside Raniele, Dorival Júnior’s trusted man, Allan, André, André Carrillo, and Matheus Pereira are all vying for the other midfield position.

Since the coach insists on a formation with three attacking midfielders and two defensive midfielders, it is unlikely that all defensive midfielders will get opportunities throughout the season. Even so, given the tight schedule, the high number of midfielders could become an asset as the year goes on.

Everyone keeping an eye on the gem

After Corinthians’ elimination from the Paulista Championship, midfielder André came very close to saying goodbye to Corinthians. Dorival Júnior revealed the situation and Marcelo Paz clarified, stating that there was an offer from Milan for the player.

“Is there a sale? No. André has not been sold. Is there an offer? Yes, from Milan. Was there an offer from Juventus? No, it’s from Milan. What is his market value? On transfermarkt, there is no market value, he is very young. So the value is what the market chooses to pay. In this negotiation, he is valued at 24 million euros, and Corinthians owns 70% of André,” explained Paz.

“This is the real situation, there has been no sale yet. Everyone knows that Corinthians needs to sell players, we’ve said this since the first day I arrived here. I was told about the need for sales to balance the cash flow and budget, so that in 2026 the club can honor all its commitments. A sale will happen at some point. Is the sale finalized? No. A decision will still be made, and whatever decision President Osmar makes, I will stand by his side,” emphasized the director.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.