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Liverpool Echo

Sport

Ian Doyle

Liverpool give the game away over £32m decision as Arthur Melo truth emerges

Arthur Melo Juventus Jurgen Klopp Liverpool

The prospect of signing a Brazilian international midfielder from Serie A who had previously won La Liga with Barcelona would usually have prompted many Liverpool supporters to salivate in anticipation.

But there was good reason for Reds fans to have been distinctly underwhelmed when, shortly before the transfer window slammed shut at the start of September, Arthur Melo was quietly ushered through the Anfield entrance on a season-long loan from Juventus.

For those who had been calling for midfield reinforcements, the arrival of the 26-year-old was insufficient. They have since been proven right, with comments from the player's agent effectively confirming the long-held suspicion Liverpool will not be taking up the option to follow their £3.9million loan fee with a £32.4m full transfer in the summer.

While no final decision has been made, the fact the Reds have not held any talks with Juventus and the player has barely featured under Jurgen Klopp point to Arthur's stay being a short one.

It hasn't been the midfielder's fault, Arthur making a brief outing from the bench at Napoli in the Champions League and starting the EFL Trophy clash at Rochdale with the under-21s before suffering a thigh injury that sidelined him for more than four months. He was among the substitutes for the Premier League loss at Bournemouth a fortnight ago but, even allowing for Liverpool's engine room issues, it's difficult to see where he will be given many minutes during the final 12 games.

In mitigation, the list of successful loan spells at Liverpool is about as short as the temporary stay of many of those who have fleetingly graced Anfield.

Nicolas Anelka shone during a stint from Paris Saint-Germain in the second half of the 2001/02 season, only for then Reds boss Gerard Houllier to instead sign El Hadji Diouf in the summer. Ronny Rosenthal scored seven goals in eight games during the closing months of 1989/90 to help Liverpool win the title and persuade Kenny Dalglish to make the striker's move from Standard Liege permanent.

And Javier Mascherano was initially taken on loan from West Ham United in February 2007 before he signed a four-year deal at Anfield 12 months later after, in arguably the oddest transfer deal in Liverpool's history, a £17million fee was agreed to take him out of third-party ownership with Media Sports Investments.

That, though, is about it, save Ian Rush being loaned immediately back to the Reds for a season having signed for Juventus in 1986. Klopp has only tentatively dipped his toe in the loan market while in the Anfield hotseat, taking on centre-back duo Steven Caulker in January 2016 and Ozan Kabak five years later. Neither made much impact.

But Arthur's imminent exit brings into even sharper focus the need for Liverpool to bring in extra numbers during the forthcoming transfer window. The emergence of Stefan Bajcetic has helped, although no expectation will be placed on the shoulders of the teenager next season.

So to lose Arthur along with, as it stands, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner from the midfield doesn't just impact selection. It also affects training and the experience such players bring in terms of professionalism and quality on the training pitch. It's easy to forget that everyday practice and the challenge of bettering team-mates is where standards are raised - and Liverpool will certainly need more of that for next season.

Although somewhat unfairly, Arthur will most likely be viewed as a symbol of a transfer policy that went awry last summer. The Reds know they simply have to get it right this time around.

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