£32m Liverpool flop now dubbed ‘worst signing of Jurgen Klopp era’
In a surprising turn of events, Liverpool’s acquisition of Arthur Melo has been labeled as “the worst signing of the Jurgen Klopp era” by Redmen TV presenter Paul Machin, as he struggled to leave a lasting impact at Anfield. With the summer transfer window fast approaching, the Reds have an opportunity to rejuvenate their squad.
According to renowned transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Klopp has confirmed that Arthur will depart Liverpool when his season-long loan agreement expires. Romano also suggests that the central midfielder will be made available by parent club Juventus, who are eager to offload him.
Last summer, Liverpool took a calculated risk by securing Arthur’s services with a £4 million loan fee and shouldering his substantial weekly salary. However, an unfortunate long-term injury, necessitating surgery, has limited the Brazilian to a mere 13 minutes of playing time in a Liverpool shirt.
As the season draws to a close, there are speculations about whether Klopp will grant Arthur his Premier League debut during Liverpool’s final fixture against already-relegated Southampton.
Paul Machin’s disappointment with Arthur is so profound that he believes the 26-year-old will forever be remembered as Klopp’s worst signing. Despite this, Machin acknowledges that Liverpool’s saving grace in this deal was the absence of a substantial transfer fee.
Machin expressed his views to GIVEMESPORT, stating, “Arthur Melo has to be classified as the worst signing of the Jurgen Klopp era. There’s no way around it. The only positive aspect is that Liverpool didn’t invest money in him, and it was just a loan. However, given the circumstances, there was minimal hype surrounding him. He was seen as a quick fix to a problem. Unfortunately, it turned out that it wasn’t just the problem that got broken when Liverpool signed him, but the player himself.”
The question arises as to why Klopp pursued Arthur on loan. Considering his impressive track record, including winning the Copa America, Copa Libertadores, and La Liga title, the Liverpool manager believed he was acquiring a midfielder with a winning mentality. Arthur had also contributed to 10 goals in 72 appearances for his previous club, Barcelona.
However, injuries have plagued Arthur throughout his career, causing him to miss nearly 80 matches at the club level due to various issues. This concerning statistic should have been taken into account when Klopp was seeking to reinforce his squad.
Liverpool’s decision not to exercise the option to make Arthur’s loan permanent for £32 million appears to be the right one, given his underwhelming performances. The Brazilian has undeniably failed to live up to expectations.
As Liverpool looks toward the future and plans for squad improvements, it remains to be seen whether this unfortunate signing will serve as a cautionary tale or merely a regrettable misstep in their transfer endeavors.