European football expert Raphael Honigstein believes Liverpool do not think signing Arthur Melo will improve Jurgen Klopp’s side after they agreed a deadline day loan from Juventus.
Euro expert claims Liverpool ‘don’t think Arthur will improve the team’ on loan
Raphael Honigstein has told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Euro Leagues podcast that Liverpool do not think Arthur Melo will make Jurgen Klopp’s side stronger. Instead, the European football expert feels the Reds simply loaned the Brazilian as a stop-gap solution until next summer.
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Anfield chiefs agreed a season-long deal for the 26-year-old to move to Merseyside during deadline day on Thursday. The operation cost the Premier League club £4m, while gaining a £32.5m option to make Arthur’s switch permanent at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
Liverpool strived to secure a last-minute reinforcement for their midfield, having suffered a host of injuries already this season. Thiago Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita were already in the treatment room before Jordan Henderson injured his hamstring.
Their absences left Fabinho, James Milner, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones as Klopp’s fit and available options to face Everton on Saturday. But the German can now call upon Arthur to feature in the Merseyside derby, as Liverpool look to move up from sixth in the early table.
Honigstein tips Klopp to replace his new arrival from Juventus in a year’s time
Arthur is yet to feature so far this term, with Massimiliano Allegri omitting the 26-year-old from each of Juventus’ opening four Serie A matchday squads. He also only held a bit-part role last season with starting roles in just 11 top-flight games, plus nine substitute outings.
Juventus had high hopes for what the 22-cap Brazil international could offer in Turin when joining from Barcelona in 2020. But the midfielder – who was valued at £66m, plus £9m in add-ons, in part-exchange with Miralem Pjanic at £55m, plus £4.5m – did not hit the mark.
Now, only signing for Liverpool in an initial loan deal is an indicator for Honigstein that the Reds, like Juventus, do not expect much from Arthur this season. So, the European expert senses Klopp will hit the market again rather than buy the €8m-a-season (£133k-a/w) star.
“Liverpool are not willing to go into the market unnecessarily,” Honigstein stated. “Their thinking had to change after the injuries to Henderson and Naby Keita.
“They don’t think Arthur will improve the team, but he can do a job in the short-term. Then, they will go for the next 25 or 26-year-old midfielder to take them forward.”
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