After a summer of transfer disappointment for Liverpool, and a rather bleak start to the season, frustration was growing at Anfield. Captain Jordan Henderson had just hobbled off with a hamstring injury as his side were held 1-1 by Newcastle United, and a threadbare bench forced Jürgen Klopp to deploy 36-year-old James Milner at right-back and Fábio Carvalho, celebrating his 20th birthday, a fifth appearance off the bench this season.
As it turns out, Henderson’s injury proved to be a catalyst for fresh optimism on Merseyside. Carvalho smashed the ball into the roof of the net in the 98th minute to ensure successive league wins for the Reds, whilst the ensuing injury crisis — Thiago, Naby Keïta, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain still on the sidelines —was finally addressed in the dying embers of transfer deadline day.
The likes of Jude Bellingham, Frenkie de Jong and NicolòBarella had been identified as suitable candidates for midfield — players that fit the Klopp mould and suited the intensity required to play in his system. However, they saw every attempt at a long-term target spurned, ending up with ArthurMelo on a season-long loan from Juventus. The Brazilian, more of a technician than a traditional box-to-box midfielder, will serve as a stop gap in the pursuit of squad depth, providing Klopp with more options and the 25-year-old with much-needed game time ahead of the World Cup.
The Brazilian was deemed surplus to requirements for Max Allegri’s side in Turin following the arrivals of Argentine duo Ángel Di María and Leandro Paredes, both from Paris Saint-Germain, and it meant business was relatively straightforward once his private plane arrived in Blackpool on the foggy Thursday morning that served as transfer deadline day.
Arthur endured a difficult time at Juventus but that was more a product of off-field issues than anything to do with his performances. He spent just two years at Barcelona before unwillingly joining the Old Lady as part of a swap deal that saw Miralem Pjanić go the other way to Catalonia. It’s meant that a move to Anfield, one drawn from necessity on both sides end as Juve will be keen to get the Brazilian off the wage book, was made easier than expected, with the Reds paying £4.5 million for the season’s loan services, and boosting their chances in the Premier League odds.
Immediately you could tell how excited Arthur was to be a part of this Liverpool side, with the player experiencing first-hand how influential Anfield can be when it’s at its brilliant best during his time at Barcelona.
“I’m really, really happy to be here wearing this great shirt with this famous badge that represents so much in world football,” he said. “It’s a dream.
“Liverpool have a wonderful history in football. I’ve played against Liverpool, I know what it feels like to be in the stadium with the fans behind them. I was with the opposition and now I’m on the right side so I’m really excited. It’s a massive club with a great manager and great players. As I said before, it’s a dream to be here.”
While his arrival doesn’t guarantee Liverpool’s pursuit of the Premier League title is back on, they know they have a talented midfielder who can be relied on to maintain the high standards the Reds have set for themselves over the past few years.
There’s still an outside chance Arthur can force his way into Tite’s Brazil plans and alongside compatriot Fabinho and Thiago, who looks set to return to the squad by October, Liverpool have a midfield cocktail comprised of combative running, technical excellence and winning mentality, a recipe for success if you ever did see one.
That assumes Arthur hits the ground running though, for Klopp’s loyalty to Henderson and Milner, as well as his tendency to integrate players to his side slower than most Premier League managers, could mean his immediate place in the starting 11 is less conceivable than one would think. Only time will tell if he can prove his worth in the Premier League.
