He hasn’t been seen in the Premier League all season but Liverpool ’s loan flop Arthur Melo is now under the Kop spotlight for shaking hands with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.
For many Liverpool fans it was the first real sighting of one of the club’s strangest ever signings.
Brought in on transfer deadline day in the summer window from Juventus following a £4.5m loan fee the Brazilian international – he has 22 caps – has endured a nightmare on Merseyside.
Arthur was restricted to a 13 minute cameo appearance off the bench in the 4-1 Champions League hammering against Napoli in Italy in September before suffering a serious thigh injury in training which needed surgery and kept the former Barcelona midfielder out until February.
He made his comeback playing for the Under 21s and has spent the last few weeks on the substitutes bench but has still yet to play a single minute in the Premier League.
It means there is little chance of Liverpool paying the £35million in the summer which would make the 26-year-old’s move permanent. And many Liverpool fans would be happy if Arthur – likely to be on the bench against Arsenal – was jettisoned right now.
They were outraged when he shook hands with Guardiola who was celebrating Julian Alvarez’s equaliser in City’s eventual 4-1 victory over Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Both the Brazilian and full-back Kostas Tsimikas were warming up on the side of the pitch to be confronted by a cavorting Guardiola. While Tsimikas attempted to ignore the City manager, much to the horror of the travelling Liverpool fans and those watching on TV, Arthur happily shook his hand.
Any goodwill surrounding his Anfield plight quickly disappeared with many supporters taking to social media to express their disgust at his actions.
One tweeted: “Arthur had the opportunity to make himself a Liverpool legend without kicking a ball by giving Guardiola what he deserved.” Others called for his loan period to be cut short insisting he had disrespected Liverpool by being lured into joining Guardiola’s celebrations.
Arthur’s agent Federico Pastorello is hoping that his client can still make an impact before his inevitable return to Juventus. “He has been unlucky with his injury. I hope he can still make a contribution before the end of the season.” Pastorello stated.
Sunday against Arsenal would be a good start.
