A former Liverpool player, who was sent out on loan six times without ever making a first-team appearance, now looks completely transformed as he prepares for a surprising debut at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Liverpool have earned widespread praise for their recruitment strategy since Jurgen Klopp took charge, a strategy that helped secure a Premier League title under new manager Arne Slot in his debut season. However, not every transfer has been a success story.
Back in 2015, the club paid £500,000 for promising Brazilian midfielder Allan. Unfortunately, due to ongoing work permit challenges, he was never eligible to play for the first team. He eventually left in 2020, having failed to make a single senior appearance for the Reds.
Still, Liverpool did manage to turn a profit from the transfer.
Now, Allan has the opportunity to make his mark on the international stage as his current club, Flamengo, is set to compete in the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup. They’ll face ES Tunis, Chelsea, and Leon in Group D.
Allan’s Journey at Liverpool
Allan began his professional career with SC Internacional in Brazil before moving to Liverpool in August 2015 for a fee of €700,000 (£590,000), joining their youth ranks.
His first loan spell took him to Finnish club SJK, where he featured in eight games, scored twice, and helped them win the league title. In the second half of the 2015/16 season, he played for Sint-Truiden in Belgium.
In the following campaign, he joined Hertha BSC in Germany but made only 15 appearances. For the 2017/18 season, he moved to Apollon Limassol in Cyprus but once again struggled to stand out, playing in 16 matches.
Despite signing a contract extension with Liverpool, Allan’s next loan to Eintracht Frankfurt was another disappointment — he appeared just four times. The club then decided to cut the loan short and sent him back to Brazil, this time to Fluminense.
At Fluminense, Allan found stability and form, making 47 appearances and establishing himself as a regular in the team. His performances drew attention from other top Brazilian clubs.
Departure from Liverpool
With six months remaining on his Liverpool contract, Allan transferred permanently to Atletico Mineiro in Brazil for £3.2 million ($4.2 million). Liverpool also included a 10% sell-on clause in the deal.
That clause paid off in 2023 when Allan completed an €8.2 million transfer to Flamengo, one of Brazil’s biggest clubs.
So far this season, he has featured in five of Flamengo’s first 11 Brazilian Serie A matches. The upcoming Club World Cup now provides Allan with a golden opportunity to demonstrate the potential Liverpool once saw in him.
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