Huge Liverpool transfer mistake highlighted as forgotten player snubbed in official club statement

Liverpool have snubbed Arthur Melo from an official club statement, after the midfielder’s disastrous loan spell on Merseyside.

On Wednesday Liverpool confirmed that James Milner, Roberto Firmino, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will all depart the club at the end of the season upon the expiry of their contracts.

Firmino and Milner will leave after eight years with the Reds, having joined in June 2015, while Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita signed in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

All four helped Jurgen Klopp’s side win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup during their time at Anfield.

A statement from Liverpool said: "All four players will depart with our gratitude and appreciation for the contribution they have made."

They will each be paid "special acknowledgements" at Liverpool's final home game of the season on Saturday against Aston Villa.

Liverpool snub Arthur

There has been no mention in the club statement of Arthur, who is also set to leave at the end of the season upon the expiry of his loan deal.

The midfielder will return to Juventus after a disastrous loan spell in which he has managed just 13 minutes of football since joining last summer.

Indeed, the 26-year-old has failed to make a single appearance in the Premier League, or sample the famous Anfield atmosphere.

Liverpool opted not to sign a midfielder permanently last summer despite Liverpool’s injury crisis deepening when Jordan Henderson damaged his hamstring in a dramatic victory over Newcastle United. Instead, the club chose to sign Arthur on loan.

The Brazil international, who cost a £4million loan fee on top of his six-figure weekly wage, was regarded as a stop-gap signing who would add experience in midfield.

He has since had just 21 touches in his entire Reds career. On October 3 Arthur pulled up during training at Kirkby, and a scan subsequently revealed that a torn muscle required surgery that would keep him out for three to four months.

In early February he resumed full training but by then he had been axed from Liverpool’s Champions League squad, and was firmly behind the likes of Fabinho, Harvey Elliott, Stefan Bajcetic, Henderson, James Milner and Fabio Carvalho in the midfield pecking order.

Topics: Football, Transfers, Premier League, Liverpool, James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Firmino, Roberto Firmino

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.