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Joined: Dec 2015
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Pickles Offline OP
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We 'signed' Arthur Melo for Liverpool as deadline day transfer issue highlighted

Liverpool look set to sign a midfielder on transfer deadline day, with Juventus' Arthur Melo potentially signing on a season-long loan


We 'signed' Arthur Melo for Liverpool as deadline day transfer issue highlighted

With midfield injuries continuing to pile up, Liverpool are trying to sign Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo before the transfer window closes tonight.

Jordan Henderson limped off in Liverpool 's 2-1 victory over Newcastle on Wednesday evening, with Jurgen Klopp confirming the Reds captain picked up a hamstring issue. Henderson now joins Thiago, Naby Keita and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain on the list of injured midfielders, with Curtis Jones just returning from a spell on the sidelines.

Klopp also admitted that the Reds were in the market for a midfielder if the right players became available, but after Henderson's injury, Liverpool are trying to sort a last-minute deal for Brazilian midfielder Arthur. The Reds are looking to sign the 26-year-old on a season-long loan, but Arthur hasn't played a game for Juventus since May, with the Brazilian having also picked up 15 different injuries since 2019.

The ex-Barcelona midfielder was once considered one of the most exciting talents in Europe, but since moving to Juventus, he's struggled for game time. So, if the Reds were to sign Arthur, could he re-discover his form and help the Reds, or could he prove to just be a last-minute panic buy? We simulated his impact and this is what happened!

We 'signed' Arthur Melo for Liverpool

To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2022 editor to arrange for Arthur to sign for Liverpool in the 2022 summer transfer window, using FM22 to run the simulation. We also updated the Liverpool squad with the latest transfers and injuries, whilst also updating the Premier League with the latest results.


Arthur's stats from the 2022/23 season with Liverpool (Image: Football Manager 2022)

Arthur was put into the Reds' starting XI on his arrival at the club due to various injuries, but the Brazilian didn't perform particularly well and ultimately dropped out of the side when players returned to full fitness. In the 2022/23 season, the midfielder made just 15 appearances, failing to register a goal or assist in that time.

Featuring in the Premier League and Champions League, Arthur averaged a rating of 6.82 per game - below average and the third-lowest out of Liverpool's midfielders. The Brazilian also received a red card in his fourth game.


Liverpool's top midfielders from the 2022/23 season (Image: Football Manager 2022)

Fabinho, Harvey Elliott and Thiago were the three midfielders who played the most in the 2022/23 season, with Elliott averaging the highest rating, most goals and most assists. Arthur ranked the worst in every category apart from rating, with only Keita and James Milner averaging lower.

At the end of the campaign, Football Manager 2022 put together an overall best Liverpool XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what it looked like:


Liverpool's best XI from the 2022/23 season (Image: Football Manager 2022)

Full Liverpool best XI: (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Fabinho, Elliott, Thiago; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.

After failing to impress with the Reds and making limited appearances, Arthur didn't make the Liverpool best XI, with Thiago, Fabinho and Elliott starting ahead of the Brazilian. Konate joined Virgil van Dijk in defence, whilst Darwin Nunez was selected ahead of Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino up-front.

Liverpool's results with Arthur

After their underwhelming start to the season, Liverpool picked up form and ended the Premier League season in second place. A poor end to the season saw the Reds lose two and draw one in their final three, but City had won the league by then, allowing some complacency from Liverpool.


Liverpool finished second in the Premier League (Image: Football Manager 2022)

Klopp's side tallied a total of 84 points in the simulation. Man City won the league on 98 points, whilst third-placed Chelsea were six behind, closing down that gap massively in the final three games.

The 84 points earned in this simulation was eight points fewer than Liverpool earned in the 2021/22 season, showing the Reds regressed as City got better. Klopp's side had the second-best defensive side in the league and were the third top scorers behind Arsenal and City.


Liverpool won a trophy in the 2022/23 season (Image: Football Manager 2022)

But, despite missing out on the league trophy, the Reds did manage to win one competition in the simulation. Two goals from Firmino following Luis Diaz's opener handed Liverpool a 3-1 win over Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.

The Reds did come from behind to beat Inter Milan 2-1 at Anfield in the Champions League quarter-finals, but after a 2-0 defeat in the first leg, the Italian side progressed. And, a 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace saw Liverpool knocked out of the FA Cup in the fifth round.

Overall, this Football Manager simulation predicts that Arthur could prove to be a risky panic buy from Liverpool on deadline day, with the Brazilian not suiting Jurgen Klopp's intensive style of play and ultimately dropping out of the side once players returned from injuries. It could be a mistake for the Reds to have waited until transfer deadline day to look for a midfielder, with available options limited.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/fo...lation-24905426

Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 5,936
Pickles Offline OP
1st Team Squad
OP Offline
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 5,936
Well that was a bust...we should have signed his brother "Marsh"!


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