Bruno Andrade: A Fit For January?

As we turn our calendars over to November, thoughts of Christmas enter the heads of almost everybody. I can almost guarantee that when Danny Cowley flips over his calendar, he is thinking of the late Christmas just a week our to afterwards.

Whilst we’re all spending money we don’t really have on things other people don’t really need, Danny is going to be plotting a couple of raids using money he’s been given on players he desperately needs. There’s been muted talk of a war-chest being made available and whilst nobody wants to shout too loudly, I suspect he’s still got enough money at his disposal to make significant waves in the January market. Remember, we’re currently in profit thanks to the sale of Sean Raggett.

While the focus will doubtless be on a forward player or two, as well as a centre half depending on what happens with Raggs, I think there is another player who is catching Danny’s eye. I base this on nothing more than Danny knowing his football, his knowledge of certain scenes and the way we set up to play. I think Danny might just be interested in Bruno Andrade.

I’m not always right with the things I predict, but I have ben known to get close with some signings too. I did mention Bostwick first this summer as well as Matt Green, although I was dubious as to whether we’d attract such quality footballers. This time I think we’re in a prime position to bag Boreham Wood’s goalscoring midfield player. In fact, we’re probably the perfect move for him.

Andrade, born in Portugal, joined the QPR academy at 13 and spent almost ten years working his way up to the first team, enjoying loan spells at Aldershot, Wycombe Stevenage. Upon his release in May 2015 he joined Stevenage permanently, but after just a handful of outings he went to Boreham Wood via a full season with Woking.

He plays as an attacking midfielder, the link between players such as Michael Bostwick and Matt Green. At 24-years old he’s coming into his prime right now and his form at Boreham Wood is highlighting that. He scored 10 last season, including one against City as we lost 2-0 there and so far this campaign his hit nine. His form is even keeping Blair Turgott, loaned back from Stevenage, on the bench. He plays behind the centre forwards providing a link and a goal threat and whilst many believe we need more and more forwards, what we actually need is a viable link between midfield and attack. Andrade would be perfect.

I’m bound to hear that he’s currently a rumoured target of Portsmouth from some, although in recent weeks that link has weakened somewhat. Portsmouth have placed a lot of faith in non-league strikers recently, Nicke Kabamaba and Jamal Lowe joined last season and they snatched Ollie Hawkins on deadline day. They know their players at Pompey, and Andrade has even spent time there recently.

Danny Hunter, Boreham Wood chairman, said: “It’s true that Bruno did go down to Portsmouth for a few days, yes, it’s true it was arranged through myself, Luke (Garrard, Boreham Wood manager) and Kenny Jackett and yes it was very much with our permission. It’s also true I believe, that they like Bruno, both as a person and as a player, but at this stage there is absolutely nothing more to it. It’s certainly not true that we have held any further discussions since and it’s not true that we have accepted a Pompey offer.”

Similarly Kenny Jackett said at the time. “We haven’t made any bids for Andrade. I would like to think I know all the top goal scorers around, definitely. Have we made a bid for him? No, that’s not the case. If you look at our forward line anyway we have plenty of options. I am sure we will keep monitoring him.”

What that does demonstrate is that Andrade is looking to move on. He signed an extension to a one-year deal in the middle of last season, meaning his current contract expires at the end of the 2017/18 season. He’s prime January sales fodder, high-scoring in the National League, ambitious, and most importantly seemingly ready to step back up into the Football League. He also scores goals.

The only set-back is Boreham Wood’s seeming unwillingness to let the player go, even if it means losing him for free in the summer. Hunter has said “Boreham Wood aren’t looking for a deal to be done in January well, not unless it gave them the option for him to remain with us until the season’s end.”

Boreham Wood are tenth in the National League, just three points from third in a tightly packed play-off chase. They may be against losing such a key player in the January sales, but can they resist hard cash rather than allowing him to walk away for free? Dover managed it with Ricky Miller, but are Boreham Wood as cash rich as that?

Hunter also spoke of knowing Andrade is on course to return to the Football League. He described him as ‘an exceptional talent’ but asked  him to have faith in the club to do the right thing by him, if he keeps applying himself well and goes about things in the right way, he’ll fulfil his dreams.

The truth is much of this rhetoric is likely to be spouted ahead of January 1st, but Bruno Andrade is highly likely to be on the move in early 2018. If his contract is up then Hunter will surely have to listen to offers, the fact he trained with Portsmouth is surely an indication in itself the club are ready to shift him on quickly? I’ve also heard, just chitter chatter, nothing solid, that we’re in for a goal scoring midfielder to add depth to the current middle offering. Danny is looking to get away from 4-4-2 and having a player at the head of the midfield is key to that, as it is improving our goal scoring problem. Billy Knott has ten games in which to make a case for himself, but at present he’s struggling to have significant impact and as much as Danny likes Billy, he won’t hesitate to bring in another player to increase our options.

I’m excited for January already because I genuinely feel we’ll have our strongest mid-season transfer window in living memory. If we’re still in this position in ten games time, hold on to your hats.