Arthur Melo Joins Liverpool
Despite not being a premier league regular, Arthur Melo spent time at Barcelona and Juventus in the past, but was out of favor under Massimiliano Allegri at the latter. Although he is unlikely to be a prolific scorer, the Brazilian is an excellent passer and will fit well into Liverpool’s midfield three.
The Brazilian has been at Juventus since the start of last season and started 16 games last term, though he has not featured so far this term. Liverpool had originally planned to hold onto him until the summer of 2023, but the club’s injury crisis has forced them to look elsewhere.
Injuries have forced Liverpool to rely on younger players, and Melo should provide a welcome boost in the middle of the park.
Arthur started his senior career at Gremio in Brazil, where he tallied 50 appearances in four seasons. He then joined Barcelona in 2018, where he won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup. He went on to represent the Catalan club 72 times in all competitions, scoring six goals.
In the Champions League, Arthur came on as the 75th substitute for the 2-1 win over Newcastle, and has impressed Klopp in training.
Arthur Melo will complete a medical on Merseyside in the coming hours. He will sign a season-long loan deal. Jurgen Klopp has stressed that the signing of a midfielder must be right and he has been on the lookout for one.
The loan deal with Juventus means that Liverpool have agreed to pay a EUR4.5 million loan fee and the club have a buy-back option of EUR37.5 million. The deal is a bit of a mystery, but it makes sense for Liverpool to pull off a loan deal.
Coutinho’s ball skills have earned him praise at Barcelona and Gremio, but injuries have limited his playing time in both countries. He has missed 23 games in three seasons at Barcelona and 24 games in two seasons with Gremio, but his ability to find passes and drive play forward is well-regarded.
The signing of Arthur Melo is an excellent fit for Liverpool. The signing will give the Reds a more experienced midfield, particularly if Harvey Elliott returns from injury.
While the injury to Jordan Henderson has hampered the club’s recent progress, Melo’s arrival will give Klopp more options in the midfield. The new addition could be available for the Everton derby on Saturday.
