Arthur Melo has revealed how Liverpool staff and players helped him through a ‘difficult’ period at Anfield during his loan spell at the club last season.
The 26-year-old joined the Reds on a temporary basis from Juventus but only made one senior appearance under Jurgen Klopp, with his time on Merseyside overshadowed by a lengthy injury layoff.
The Brazilian was speaking with Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo as he reflected on his luckless stint with LFC but gave thanks to those in the dressing room and behind the scenes for supporting him through it.
Arthur said: “I think I was a bit unlucky, but that is in the past and I feel much better than then. I really want to play again and seek my highest level as a player.
“I went through difficult times, but it was very important for me to have the support of everyone, from the coach, Klopp, and the entire coaching staff, to my teammates. The dressing room helped me a lot in a difficult moment.”
Arthur’s declaration that he was ‘unlucky’ at Liverpool is a fair one, with a four-month absence through a training ground thigh injury hitting him just as he seemed set to embark on his Premier League career.
Various fixture postponements and cup exits, along with his omission from the Champions League squad for the knockout rounds, all contrived to work against him as he departed Anfield having made just a solitary 13-minute appearance last September.
However, as highlighted by The Athletic‘s James Pearce, the 26-year-old made a lasting impression on those behind the scenes due to his ‘attitude and application in training’.
Arthur’s comments also highlight the strong bond which exists in the Liverpool dressing room, with staff and players rallying around him during what must’ve been an incredibly frustrating and demoralising time.
Quite simply, circumstances conspired against him at Anfield; and whether he stays with Juventus or moves elsewhere, hopefully the next few months will grant him better fortune than he’s had over the last year.
I hope he didn’t have to use food banks