Hernanes: Dazzling Brazilian In, Babel & Dossena Out at Liverpool?
Interest is mounting for Brazilian hot property Hernanes who is strongly linked with a move to Italy but has also attracted the interest of a number of Premier League sides. Liverpool are the latest club to be linked with the playmaker in the Brazilian press with claims that Rafa Benitez will step up his chase the talented South American by financing the move with the sale of fringe players Andrea Dossena and Ryan Babel.
The 24-year-old’s full name is Anderson Hernanes de Carvalho Andrade Lime and he currently plies his trade for Sao Paulo. The club currently top the Brazilian top flight a point ahead of rivals Palmeiras with just 4 games left with their season ending in December.
Hernanes has been linked to the likes of AC Milan and Juventus but the Italian clubs have struggled to raise the fee Sao Paulo are demanding. The midfield schemer’s club ridiculed a recent attempt by AC to sign the player with Sao Paulo Technical Director Joao Paulo de Jesus Lopes revealing to Globoesporte’s of the Italian club’s interest in their defender Miranda and Hernanes.
He had this to say, “I need to find how much a crate of bananas is worth, as that is how much they want to give us for both players.
We know that Milan ended the season in the red and not even the £60m from Kaka’s sale to Real Madrid was enough to balance the books.”
The player himself has spoken of his love for Serie A but the financial lure of the Premier League could sway the Brazilian to our shores. Hernanes revealed to the Gazzetta dello Sport,”I’m a player who loves to think on the pitch.”
“I understood that in every player there’s the time to evaluate and do the best things. My best qualities are probably dribbling with the ball and my hard shot.
“The comparison with Pirlo is very good, it definitely pleases me. He’s a complete player, probably the best midfielder in the world.
“I especially watch constantly the matches of Inter and Milan, also because there are many Brazilians. It would be something to be proud of and a pleasure to play in Italy one day.”
Despite his love of Italian football, Hernanes would be at home at Anfield with fellow Brazilians Lucas, Fabio Aurelio and Diego Cavalieri at the club.
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Hernanes has been touted as a readymade replacement for Real Madrid star Kaka at the San Siro after impressing in Brazil. He is far from a carbon copy of Kaka but has his own attributes; technically he is regarded as one of the best in his homeland especially as he is equally adept with both feet.
The 24-year-old is also extremely versatile and has played on both flanks as well as centrally as either and attacking or defensive midfielder. Unlike some Brazilians Hernanes is very much a team player and not one to over elaborate when a simple pass is available. His work rate is another plus point which explains why he is so highly regarded.
The Times report of the Top 50 rising stars of world football rated Hernanes the best prospect back last January and it’s easy to see why. The attacking midfielder came through the Sao Paulo youth academy breaking into the first team in 2005 when he made 16 league appearances (6 starts) and scored 3 goals. The following season he was loaned out to Santo Andre where he made a further 22 league appearances (7 starts) and scored 6 goals. However, it was in 2007 when Hernanes came to the fore for Sao Paulo making 31 league appearances (29 starts) as his club won the Brazilian title before retaining the trophy in 2008. The 2nd title win resulted in Hernanes winning the Brazilian footballer of the year title and led to his first and only cap for his country in a 1-0 friendly win v Sweden in March 2008.
Hernanes also played for Brazil at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where he won a bronze medal. Despite only playing 100 league matches for his club (86 starts) and scoring 16 goals, Hernanes has attracted the interest from the likes of European Champions Barcelona but where he’d fit into a side brimming with playmakers is debatable.
This season Hernanes has made 29 league appearances (27 starts) while scoring 6 goals. He has been in a rich vein of form with 4 goals in his last 7 league games which has only increased speculation of a departure in his homeland.
Hernanes would be a great acquisition for Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool as he could fill a number of roles within the squad. As Liverpool’ season lurches from one poor result to another, a move for arguably the best player playing in Brazil could prove to be a masterstroke. If Alberto Aquilani can stay fit then a triumvirate of the Italian, Hernanes and Steven Gerrard would provide Fernando Torres with the ammunition to surge up the table. One thing’s for certain Brazil’s next big export will be a global name once he moves to Europe.
Do you like the look of Hernanes? Does your club need a youthful playmaker rated as the top Brazilian currently playing his trade in his homeland? Let’s hear your views.
November 10th, 2009 at 16:30
Now thats one player I would be happy to see at Anfield a real world class talent… Go get him rafa you won’t be dissapointed. And try again for Villa or Silva