Arthur Melo was on loan at Liverpool last season; however, the Brazil international only managed one 13-minute appearance in a season marred by injuries. It has been reported that Xavi was interested in bringing the player back to Barcelona. Luckily for the Brazilian, he is making an impression in Serie A once again after joining Fiorentina on loan from Juventus in the summer. He has participated in every game for I Viola thus far, starting nine of his 12 games, and he has already made a name for himself as an important member of the Italian team. Although it was ruled out at the time, there had been hints during the midseason that the Reds might try to return Arthur to Juventus by ending his loan deal in January.
However, if player intervention hadn’t occurred, midseason reports from Spain indicate that the midfielder might have still been on the move. The Barca Reservat podcast claims that Xavi had thought about moving for Arthur because of the team’s well-known financial difficulties when he was looking to add a new midfielder in January. He wanted a player with “good technique and last pass.”.
The Brazilian was being considered despite his injury because he was a former player for Barcelona, and his knowledge of the Catalans and his lack of playing time for Liverpool came into play. Unfazed by his forced absence, Xavi apparently asked his teammates’ thoughts on a possible transfer for the former Barcelona midfield player and brought up the idea with captain Sergio Busquets. As per the Barca Reservat podcast, the manager was informed by the Spaniard not to pursue Arthur, as the Brazilian had a history of chaotic behavior and would not set a good example for the younger players. The 27-year-old made his only appearance for Liverpool at Napoli, where he most recently appeared for Fiorentina. They would defeat the defending Serie A champions 3-1 in an impressive match to move up to fourth place in the standings.
Henderson, meanwhile, would echo similar ideas in his own captain’s column. He said, “I would like to wish Arthur Melo the best of luck for whatever comes next in his career on behalf of all the players.”. Since luck is all he needs, I bring it up. “In the brief time he’s been with us, Arthur has proven to be an exceptional football player. After recovering from his injury, he has given himself a platform that hopefully will help him in the future.
In light of their financial difficulties and subsequent “creative” transfer dealings, it is intriguing to consider that Barcelona might make an attempt to bring Arthur back to the team. We should, however, take the suggestion with a grain of salt given that the Brazilian remains injured even after undergoing thigh surgery back in January.
