Xavi was reportedly interested in bringing Liverpool loanee Arthur Melo back to Barcelona last season before speaking to Sergio Busquets.
Arthur Melo’s loan move to Liverpool did not work out last season as the Brazil international made just one 13-minute appearance for the Reds in an injury-plagued stint.
Where is Arthur currently playing
Fortunately for the Brazilian, he is currently impressing back in Serie A after joining Fiorentina on loan from Juventus in the summer.
Featuring in every match so far for I Viola, he has started nine of his 12 appearances for the Italian.
They already established himself as a vital player for the Italian outfit.
The 27-year-old’s most recent appearance for Fiorentina came away at Napoli, the scene of his only appearance for Liverpool. They record an eye-catching 3-1 victory over the reigning Serie A champions to leapfrog them into fourth in the table.
Arthur’s current fortunes are in stark contrast to his temporary stint at Anfield after being signed on a year-long loan on transfer deadline day last year.
The Brazilian would suffer a major thigh injury in training in October,
Only weeks after making his Reds debut, and be forced to undergo surgery.
Will Arthur be able to bounce back after injury
Such an injury ensured the midfielder would be out of action for several months, as he did not return to team training until the following February.
Meanwhile, he’d remain absent from Jurgen Klopp’s matchday squads until March,
Though a second Liverpool appearance and Premier League debut ultimately remained elusive.
There had mid-season suggestions that the Reds could look to terminate Arthur’s loan move in January
And send him back to Juventus, though this dismissed as a possibility at the time.
Yet according to reports in Spain, the midfielder could have still been on the move mid-season was it not for player intervention.
According to the Barca Reservat podcast, Xavi wanted to sign a new midfielder in January and,
Desiring a player with ‘good technique and last pass’,
They had considered a move for Arthur given the club’s well-documented financial problems.
A former Barcelona player, his subsequent knowledge of the Catalans and lack of minutes for Liverpool
They had prompted the Brazilian to come under consideration – despite his injury.
