Liverpool "offered" the chance to re-sign flop to solve midfield issue

With Andoni Iraola having taken over as manager, there remain plenty of question marks surrounding how this new-look Liverpool team will play this season.

This is arguably no more the case than in midfield. The general expectation is that Iraola is planning to deploy Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz as his midfield trio, first doing so against Newcastle at St James' Park on Sunday.

How Alexis Mac Allister fits into this, when he is more up to speed following his post-World Cup break, remains a question mark. Regardless, the new Basque head coach is expected to use a very attacking midfield, which should be very exciting, but could also result in Liverpool being very open. So, could they redress that balance by re-signing a player you may have forgotten ever played for the Reds?

As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Arthur Melo is about to become a free agent. That's because, his club Juventus are discussing the possibility of terminating the Brazilian's contract, which expires next summer. Romano later added that the 30 year old "personally asked" Juve to leave as a free agent, given that he "hopes to join a new club as soon as possible". So, could he return to Merseyside?

Arthur Melo's season at Liverpool

In case you don't remember Arthur's stint at Liverpool, we can't blame you, here's a quick recap. He joined Jürgen Klopp's team on loan from Juventus on deadline day four summers ago and debuted off the bench less than a fortnight later. This came as the Reds were demolished 4-1 by Napoli in the Champions League, enjoying a 13 minute cameo.

However, and no one knew it at the time, this would prove to be his only senior appearance for the club. Soon after, he underwent thigh surgery, having sustained an injury in training, and was barely seen again. Just before this, he did represent the Reds in the Papa John's Trophy, starting a 1-0 loss to Rochdale at Spotland, but that probably is not what a full Brazilian international had in mind.

Arthur Melo's post-Liverpool career

Since his miserable year on Merseyside came to an end, things have got somewhat better for Arthur. Still unwanted by Juventus, la Vecchia Signora have loaned him out a further three times, spending time at Fiorentina, Girona and, most-recently, Brasileirão side Grêmio, his first-ever club.

For these outfits, the midfielder has appeared 48, 15 and 36 times, staying relatively injury free, but still yet to find a permanent home. So, could he return to Anfield? Well, chances are, probably not. An Arthur at the peak of his powers is exactly the profile of ball-playing number six that this team lacks but, sadly, at just 30 years old, his prime appears to be long in the past.

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