Liverpool flop Arthur set for SHOCK Premier League return

Stuart Telford

• 17 Jun 2023 17:04 BST
• 3 min read

Arthur Melo is set for a shock return to the Premier League with Aston Villa, following his disappointing spell on loan with Liverpool from Juventus last term.

Arthur was signed on loan by Liverpool at the start of last season with Jurgen Klopp's midfield injury crisis worsening, but the Brazilian soon joined Thiago Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita on the treatment table with muscular problems.

He only played 13 minutes of Liverpool's 4-1 loss to Napoli in the Champions League group stages, and the Reds decided against making his stay permanent at the end of the campaign.

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But Juventus don't plan to use the Brazilian going forward, either, and now Aston Villa have emerged as a shock destination for the 22-cap international.

"Arthur? Aston Villa's interest is increasingly concrete," Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Giovanni Albanese told the Sportitalia Mercato show. "It's difficult to see him staying because he weighs heavily on the club's budget."

Juventus fire sale

Arthur earns €3.2m a year before tax in Turin, and he is far from the only player Juventus are looking to offload in light of their recent 15-point deduction for 'financial irregularities'.

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Dejan Kulusevski is set to make his loan to Tottenham Hotspur for a €30m fee - €5m less than the clubs agreed when they first negotiated the Sweden international's move.

Leonardo Bonucci is also set to retire while Angel Di Maria could follow Lionel Messi to David Beckham's Inter Miami after being released.

Villa were nascent under Unai Emery in the second half of last season, ultimately finishing seventh to make it into next season's Europa Conference League play-off round.

The Birmingham club have been linked with a host of players in recent months, with the club reportedly ready to push Real Madrid hard for the signing of Villarreal and Nigeria winger Samuel Chukwueze.

They have also been linked as possible destinations for England trio Harry Maguire, Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips, of Manchesters United and City respectively.