Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Arthur Melo will remain with Liverpool for the entirety of the season.
The Reds boss was forced to make a move for the Juventus midfielder, as the club’s injury crisis left them with a dearth of options in the middle of the park. Klopp had insisted that his side would avoid bringing in new players in the final weeks of the window until accepting further reinforcements were required.
A deadline day move for Arthur came somewhat out of the blue, with Liverpool managing to strike an agreement to bring the Brazilian international to Anfield on a season-long loan. However, with a cruel tinge of irony, the signing that was made to combat injuries has seen his time in English football stunted by them.
In total, he has played just 13 minutes since arriving from Turin and is now set for an extended spell on the sidelines with a significant thigh injury that will require surgery. It means that the 26-year-old will be out until at least 2023, with his chances of making a significant impact increasing on a weekly basis.
That has led to some speculation that the Reds will look to terminate Arthur’s deal during the January window, in order for Klopp to land a more reliable option. But the German has confirmed there is no break-clause in his deal, meaning he will remain on Merseyside until at least next summer.
Asked if there was a chance of seeing him in action in soon, Klopp said: "It's a long-term injury. When he's back then we will think about it again but in the moment it's too far away.
“I have no idea how long it will be but it will be long. It's a serious injury,” he then revealed there wasn't a termination option within the agreement, meaning he will definitely remain at the club until next summer.
Arthur is one of five players who have been ruled out of this weekend’s clash with Leeds United, as the Reds look to bounce back from defeat to Nottingham Forest. Joel Matip and Naby Keita are closing in on a return but Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, like Arthur, will be out until the new year.
Klopp confirmed during his pre-match press conference: “It’s still soon for Naby Keita and Matip is still out. You don’t have to ask about Diogo or Luis for a while.”
In more positive news, Thiago Alcantara, Jordan Henderson and Ibrahima Konate are all set to be available. Konate was part of the squad which travelled to Amsterdam to face Ajax in midweek, but Klopp has suggested he was only included in case of emergency.
“Yes, I would say the Ajax game, we didn’t have more subs so we could take him [Konate] with us, but he was not really ready for this game,” Klopp added. “In a very serious situation in the last five minutes maybe, but he’s available now. I expect Jordan Henderson to be okay and Thiago will return too.”
