A former Liverpool midfielder signed during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure is expected to see his contract cancelled and will depart without securing another club.
Arthur Melo managed a solitary appearance during his underwhelming temporary spell at Anfield in the 2022/23 season. The Brazilian, now 30, has spent the past six years at Juventus. He arrived at the Italian top-flight club from Barcelona in 2020 for £68.5million, in a swap deal that saw Miralem Pjanic move to Catalonia for £51m.
His time in Turin has failed to live up to expectations. After featuring 63 times across his opening two campaigns with Juve, he has been loaned out for the subsequent four years, having stints at Liverpool, Fiorentina, Girona and Gremio. Throughout his entire Juventus career, he has managed just 100 outings and endured persistent injury and fitness concerns. This has fuelled renewed speculation regarding his next move, with Sky Sport Italy reporting that Juventus and Melo are negotiating a mutual contract termination. This would enable him to move to a new club without a transfer fee, rather than enduring a fifth consecutive season on loan, after Gremio’s financial constraints ruled out a permanent switch.
Melo arrived at Liverpool on loan in September 2022 as Klopp sought to bolster his midfield options following injuries to Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Merseyside club paid Juventus a £3.9m loan fee with a £32.3m option to purchase him at the season’s conclusion. However, his Anfield stint proved entirely unsuccessful. He came on as a substitute in Liverpool’s 4-1 Champions League loss to Napoli and did not play again thereafter. Reports suggest his struggles stemmed from fitness issues that originated during solo training sessions at Juventus. He returned to Turin having accumulated just 13 minutes in a Liverpool shirt.
Reflecting on the loan arrangement in May 2023, Klopp commented that circumstances had prevented Melo from featuring as often as desired, though his professionalism and talent were evident to everyone who worked alongside him.
Melo subsequently expressed his gratitude to Liverpool and the supporters. He noted that as his Liverpool contract concluded, he wished to thank the coaches, players and staff for their backing throughout the previous season. He emphasised that the club would always hold a special place in his heart, describing the Anfield crowd as among the most remarkable in the world and recalling the unforgettable atmosphere of matches at the stadium. He also thanked the wider Liverpool community and surrounding area for warmly welcoming his family during their time there, adding that he would cherish the memories forever and wished everyone success going forward.