Arthur Melo’s Liverpool nightmare is set to go from bad to worse as he is expected to be out for three to four months.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp spoke about Arthur’s injury during his pre-match press conference ahead of his side’s Premier League clash against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
He said: “There is a new injury with Arthur. In the last session before the Rangers game, in a normal situation, he just injured a muscle.
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“We have to wait for further assessment to know exactly how long it will be, but he’s out.”
Now, according to The Athletic, the Brazilian is set to undergo surgery and will be out for an expected three to four months, meaning the 26-year-old will not play again in 2022.
This is a major blow in Arthur’s bid to impress Klopp and the Liverpool fans as he looks to secure a permanent future at Anfield.
Arthur has only managed 13 minutes in all competitions since joining the club on transfer deadline day. He made his first appearance for Liverpool in the 4-1 humiliation by Napoli in the Champions League and was an unused substitute for the games against Ajax and Brighton.
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The Brazilian arrived at Anfield lacking fitness and sharpness after he fell down the pecking order at Juventus. He underwent an intensive conditioning programme and spent the latest international break training with the U-21s and also played for the team in Premier 2 and Papa Johns Trophy.
Arthur was desperate to force his way into Klopp’s plans with the hope that he will be included in Brazil’s world cup squad for the tournament in Qatar. However, that dream is now well and truly over.
For the loan, Liverpool paid the Turin club a fee of £4 million and have the option of securing Arthur permanently for a fee in the region of £33 million next summer.
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Luckily for Klopp, Curtis Jones is back in training as they gear up for a busy period.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Premier League