Liverpool to "not activate" Arthur Melo loan to buy option

Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo will not be joining Liverpool permanently from his loan spell with Italian side Juventus.

The 26-year-old joined the Reds on loan on Deadline Day in September, but has only played 13 minutes of competitive action before being sidelined with a thigh injury in October, an injury that he still has not recovered from.

And now a report from The Athletic's James Pearce indicates that Liverpool will not activate the £30.1 million buy option to make the midfielder extend his stay at Anfield.

AN UNLUCKY SPELL ON MERSEYSIDE

The former Barcelona midfielder was shipped out by Juventus since the Italian side added the likes of Paul Pogba, Manuel Locatelli and Leandro Paredes to their side. Talented youngsters in Fabio Miretti and Nicolo Faglioli breaking into the first team as well pushed the Brazilian further down the pecking order. Liverpool signed him after spending most of their summer budget on Darwin Nunez, whilst their main midfield target in Jude Bellingham was not going to be be allowed to leave Borussia Dortmund the same summer that Erling Haaland also left the German side for Manchester City.

Unfortunately for Arthur, injuries have not helped him to progress at Anfield, and it seems very unlikely that Liverpool will sanction a move for an injury prone midfielder, who has barely kicked a ball in a Liverpool shirt.

ARTHUR HAS BACKFIRED

Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp will know that the signing of Arthur Melo has backfired, but they must remember that at least the midfielder is only a loan with an option to buy. The real test will be trying to sign Bellingham or any other midfield players they want in future transfer windows.

ANFIELD WATCH VERDICT

From the get-go, I always felt that Arthur Melo was more of a panic signing by Liverpool rather than a signing that they needed to make. You have to say that he has been very unlucky, as when fully fit, he is a different player as he showed moments of quality when he spent time at Barcelona, and was one of Brazil's automatic first choice starting midfielders not so long ago.