Liverpool have already made plans to potentially expand their midfield department in the upcoming summer window, Fabrizio Romano confirmed online.
The Italian journalist posted a tweet online sharing that Jurgen Klopp’s team has established and agreed the framework of personal terms with Arthur Melo in case the club decides to take advantage of the purchase option clause inserted in his loan to move away from Juventus. .
Liverpool will have a purchase option clause of 37.5 million euros for Arthur in June, not mandatory: LFC has negotiated with Juve the possibility of paying the clause in two years. ???????????? #LFC
Arthur has already agreed on the potential future contract should LFC trigger the clause. pic.twitter.com/HPigEPCwDs
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 5, 2022
The Merseysiders could agree a permanent £32.3m move for the 26-year-old, split over two years (the option was provided in an official I Bianconeri document, as can be seen in @TheAnfieldTalk’s tweet), if the playmaker’s performances prove exceptional enough.
Juventus CONFIRMS a purchase option on Arthur’s deal in an official statement. €37.5 million. pic.twitter.com/4E7ddJqaSr
— The Anfield Talk (@TheAnfieldTalk) September 1, 2022
Given that Jude Bellingham will be our priority target for the summer of 2023, and is seen as likely to attract a sum potentially as seismic as £100m, the option to delay Arthur’s full payment could prove significant.
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Lacking a clear alternative to the qualities of Thiago Alcantara, the former Blaugrana does not arrive as a direct back-up for the Spaniard, although he is certainly far from a million miles away from providing a severely depleted midfield with some technical flair. .
A strong defensive outing in the Merseyside derby averted initial concerns about our back line at the start of the campaign, though questions remain about a midfield that continues to deliver mostly mediocre performances (bar Harvey Elliott).
Perhaps Arthur could be the option we’ve been desperately yearning for amid our No.6’s continued injury-enforced absence.
#Ep58 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Qualifying Liverpool’s UCL group, making a new signing… and more!
