In the midst of Liverpool’s midfield woes, Jurgen Klopp has made a final decision on a £33 million transfer
As Liverpool’s midfield woes continue, Jurgen Klopp has made a final decision on loanee Arthur Melo. The Reds have a £33 million option to sign the Juventus star on a permanent basis when his loan deal expires in July, as the need for upgrades becomes clearer by the week
The club’s own fans and outside observers questioned and questioned Liverpool’s deadline-day swoop for Fabinho
It didn’t have the makings of a well-planned transfer strategy, which the Liverpool giants have thrived on during Jurgen Klopp’s successful reign.
Arthur’s arrival screamed a panic shunt to address a glaring issue that needed to be addressed after the failed pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni.
His time in England has turned out even worse than many expected. Since joining Juventus, the 26-year-old has played just 13 minutes in a 4-1 loss to Napoli
As a result, Arthur’s days in Liverpool are, predictably, numbered
According to GOAL, Klopp is expected to reject the £33 million buy-out clause in his loan contract and return to the Serie A giants
With Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, and Gini Wijnaldum operating as a perfectly balanced unit, Liverpool’s midfield used to be the engine room to Klopp’s relentless winning machine on Merseyside
But those days are long gone, and things haven’t been the same since Wijnaldum signed as a free agent with Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021
Since 2018, the Reds have only signed one midfielder – then-29-year-old Thiago on a free transfer from Bayern Munich in 2020 – and ageing issues have become increasingly problematic
Thiago is now 31, Henderson is 32, and James Milner celebrated his 37th birthday yesterday. Fabinho, who is 29 years old, has struggled to maintain form and fitness this season
Curtis Jones’ Liverpool career has stalled due to injury, and Harvey Elliott, despite appearing in all 26 games this season, is struggling to adapt to a midfield role
Meanwhile, Milner is expected to follow Alex Oxlade–Chamberlain and Naby Keita out the door when their contracts expire this summer.
And the departures will only exacerbate Klopp’s need for midfield reinforcements.
The German boss’s top priority is Jude Bellingham. However, failure to move in January could easily result in Liverpool missing out on the Champions League next season.
Such a result would effectively eliminate them from the Bellingham race, with Manchester City and Real Madrid among his most likely suitors.
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