Liverpool's surprise move for Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo will see the Brazilian join up with a number of his international teammates at Anfield.
The Reds already have Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino in their first team squad and it is the latter who Melo knows best, having spent time with the Liverpool No. 9 in the national team setup.
It seemed unlikely that Jurgen Klopp would make a move for a midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window, but with captain Jordan Henderson suffering a fresh injury against Newcastle United on Wednesday evening, the Reds made their move on deadline day.
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Melo has previously shared his appreciation for the Reds top goal scorer Mohamed Salah, branding him a 'great' player, and having spent two seasons with Barcelona before joining Juventus, the 26-year-old has witnessed first hand just what Anfield is capable of producing when it matters most.
Melo was part of the Barca squad that faced Liverpool in the unforgettable Champions League semi-final ties in 2019, when the Reds overturned a 3-0 first leg deficit to produce a remarkable 4-0 second leg win that kept them on course to lift their sixth European Cup in Madrid.
Prior to the semi-final match-up, Melo said: "For me, Liverpool is one of the best clubs in the world. They have very high quality players, especially in front-line and I expect two very great matches. We and Liverpool both will go out for the win. For sure, it will be a great battle.
"Salah is a great player, he had a great last season and we have to be careful regarding him, but there are others like Firmino, whom I know very well [from the national team]. It will not be easy."
Speaking after signing on Thursday, the playmaker said he was looking forward to being on the 'right side' of the fans.
Melo came off the bench for Barca in the last 15 minutes at Anfield and his disappointing time at the Nou Camp was brought to an end in June 2020 when he signed for Juventus, despite agreeing a six-year deal with the Catalan Giants in 2018.
Having spent a further two seasons in Turin, Melo will be hoping the link-up with his fellow compatriots at Anfield can help him to realise the potential he demonstrated with Brazilian side Gremio before moving continents to test himself in European football.
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