Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted new signing Arthur Melo "needs football" after completing a deadline day move.
The Brazil international joined on a season-long loan from Juventus, with Liverpool holding an option to make the move permanent at the end of the campaign. His move was necessitated by an injury pile-up at Anfield, with Jordan Henderson the latest member of Klopp's squad to be ruled out.
Arthur, who joined Juve for £62.5m from Barcelona in 2020, has not played a minute of competitive football since last season's Coppa Italia final. And, ahead of the Reds' Champions League trip to Napoli, Klopp explained the situation facing his new recruit.
"Arthur needs now just football - and training, especially, that's how it is," Klopp told the media before Wednesday's European opener. "He wasn't in team training for a while at Juve, so he needs proper team training - and that's what we are doing with him.
"Can he play minutes? Yes. Should he play a full game? No, because he needs to get used to the intensity in each competition.
"It's not like in the Champions League you have to work less than in the Premier League. Not at all, especially not here. He is doing well, he is really giving his absolute all in training, we have to be careful with him as well and then we will see whether we can use him."
Should Arthur start against Napoli? Have your say in the comments section
Arthur played 31 times for Juve last season, including both legs of their Champions League last-16 elimination at the hands of Villarreal. However, he was deemed surplus to requirements by Max Allegri and didn't even make a matchday squad for the Bianconeri this season before moving to England.
He was on the bench for the Merseyside derby on Saturday, but didn't make it onto the pitch in the goalless draw. With Liverpool able to call upon Thiago in Naples after the Spanish international's return from injury, it may be the case that Arthur begins the game on the bench again.
It is the third time Liverpool have been drawn against Napoli since Klopp took over as manager in 2015. The English club have only won one of their four previous meetings, a 1-0 victory at Anfield in a must-win group game in December 2018, with Napoli claiming a win and a draw in the two meetings during the 2019-20 group stage.
After the trip to Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, Liverpool's next two group games will come at home, with Ajax and Rangers travelling to Anfield. The first stage of the competition is more condensed than usual, due to the World Cup beginning in November, with the final group game at home to Luciano Spalletti's side taking place on November 1.
