OFFICIAL: Arthur Melo signs for Juventus

OFFICIAL: Arthur Melo signs for Juventus

Arthur Melo ficha por la Juventus
Arthur Melo ficha por la Juventus | sport

Arthur Melo will move to Turin in a deal which also sees Miralem Pjanic switch clubs and join Barça

Arthur Melo is now a Juventus player. Once the swap deal is completed, which will see Miralem Pjanic move to FC Barcelona, the Brazilian will begin a five-year contract with the Turin based club.

When Arthur arrived at the Camp Nou following an impressive spell at Gremio, many expected him to be a key member of the first team picture going forward. His style felt like a perfect match for what Barça are famous for. Unfortunately, a combination of injuries and irregular form has seen that initial promise disappear. 

In October 2018, not long after Arthur joined Barça, he received special praise from Xavi Hernandez. "He's similar to me. I see that in Arthur. He's a quick thinker but he must still work hard. I improved a lot at Barça and you won't have learnt as much at any other academy." It wasn't just Xavi who appeared optimistic with Arthur's future in Spain. Leo Messi himself was a big supporter of the move. "They are all really good players but I have to say that Arthur stands out for me. He's surprised me because I didn't know much about him and it's true he's very similar in style to Xavi. He always wants the ball, plays it short and doesn't lose possession."

AN EARLIER THAN EXPECTED EXIT

Less than two years after Leo's high praise, Arthur's time at Barcelona has come to an end. Many fans will question why the Brazilian is leaving, someone who has been compared with Xavi and Messi himself validated, having not yet reached his potential. 

Arthur's time at the club will be remembered for his injury problems, as well as a night out that he immediately apologised for. He attended Neymar's birthday party a few days ahead of the Copa del Rey semi final against Real Madrid. "I made a mistake by going to the party and I take full responsibility for that. It was a hard moment for me. I'm angry that I picked up an injury and for my teammates and staff too. I know what I did but I apologise to anyone I let down."

The lack of regular playing time, as well as some irregular form, disappointed the sporting department at Barça. The club wanted Arthur to take a step forward in his career, to push himself to the limit, so that he would appear like the man who shone at Gremio. But that never came. 72 matches later, with four goals and six assists to his name, Arthur's time at the club comes to a premature end and he'll begin a new challenge at Juventus.

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