Insider issues ‘red flag’ claim after ‘huge’ Arthur Melo twist at Liverpool
Liverpool will not be able to rely on Arthur Melo to be a regular starter in the second half of the season if he is ahead of schedule in his injury rehabilitation.
That is the view of medical expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in injury and data analysis, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.
Arthur has only played 13 minutes of competitive football for Liverpool since he arrived at Anfield on a season-long loan from Juventus on deadline day in the summer.
The 26-year-old suffered a thigh injury in training in October and had to undergo surgery as a result.
The Daily Mail reported last week (11 December) that he is now ahead of schedule in his return and could now return by the end of January.
It was initially expected that Arthur would miss four months of action.
“He’s a player where you look and consider how much Jurgen Klopp will consider utilising him in that squad,” Dinnery told Football Insider‘s Connor Whitley.
“He came off the back of a time where he played sporadic minutes and that, ultimately, is how this injury came about.
“He had his own individual training and that culminated in that huge injury.
“You’re talking about a player who has had several months on the sidelines coming into a brand new league, with a different intensity.
“There are going to be question marks and red flags in regards to throwing Arthur Melo straight into that Liverpool team.
“Jurgen Klopp will probably initially look at the Brazilian as more of a player who he can bring in, rotate in and out to manage other players. I don’t see him as a nailed-down starter in that Liverpool team for the second half of the season.
“It’s going to take some time and it will also depend on who else he has available in that Liverpool squad.
“If he does pick up one or two other injuries it could be that Arthur is required and you have to take a chance or two.”
In other news, Liverpool are in talks to sign a striker Jurgen Klopp has called “sensational”.