The mark absent Arthur Melo leaves behind at Barcelona

Save a dramatic turn in events, Arthur Melo is set to say goodbye to Barcelona without playing another game after two seasons at Camp Nou. The numbers he leaves behind are discrete: 72 appearances, four goals, two trophies, 49 wins, 49 starts, 4,019 minutes and 24 games missed through injury. 

The Brazilian midfielder, who signed from Gremio in 2018 for 31 million euros (plus nine million in variables) generated excitement among the fans because of his Barça DNA. There were no doubts that this was a player capable of offering "immediate performances." 

However, between the adaption process, the fierce competition and the injuries, Arthur's not taken off. He leaves behind marks of a player of class, of good technique and of one-touch team play, but he didn't manage to convince. In his second season, he didn't play regularly enough to take a step forward. 

Arthur, in his two season at Camp Nou, was in the squad for 84 games but he only started 49 of them and in 23 of them he didn't complete 90 minutes. He didn't even come off the bench on 12 occasions and missed 24 games through injury. 

Regarding injuries, there's been a little of everything: pubis problems, adductor, Achilles tendon... recently, after signing for Juventus, he missed a game with an ankle injury and another with tonsilitis. In any case, what's true is he's lacked a little luck and has had some unfortunate setbacks. 

Of the 72 games he did take part in, he ended up on the winning side 49 times, drawing 14 and losing nine. He made his debut on Aug. 12 2018 under Ernesto Valverde in the Super Cup against Sevilla in Morocco. He was 22. 

FOUR GOALS 

As for scoring, he's disappointed: just four goals, none in his first season. His first arrived on Aug. 31 2019 at Osasuna when he came off the bench to make it 2-1 after an assist from Carles Perez. The game ended 2-2. 

He also scored against Villarreal in La Liga, Leganes in the Copa del Rey and Eibar in La Liga. 

His position on the pitch has been as one of the two interiors usually, usually on the left but some times on the right. He has also played as a pivote. He's good on the ball and capable of playing in tight spaces, looking for passes between the lines. 

As a Barça player, he won two trophies. The first was the 2018 Super Cup and the second was the 2018-19 La Liga title.