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Aston Villa and Newcastle United are interested in signing Arthur Melo on loan despite the Juventus midfielder struggling at Liverpool, according to Italian outlet Tutto Juve (h/t JuveFC on Twitter).
Liverpool signed Arthur on a season-long loan from Juventus for €4.5 million last summer. The agreement also included an option for the Reds to make the move permanent for €37.5 million.
However, Arthur appeared only once for the Anfield outfit in the 2022-23 season, clocking just 13 minutes of playing time. His only appearance for the club came in their 4-1 loss to Napoli in their first UEFA Champions League group game of the campaign.
Liverpool have no intention to trigger the option to make the Brazilian's loan move permanent. The central midfielder is, thus, expected to return to Juventus when his deal expires on June 30.
Arthur does not appear to have a future in Turin either and has been tipped to secure a move this summer. According to the aforementioned source, a return to the Premier League could be on the cards for him.
Aston Villa and Newcastle are said to have offered to take the former Barcelona man on loan. Both clubs are keen to add depth to their midfield this summer after qualifying for European football.
Juventus, for their part, are prepared to allow Arthur to leave on loan with an option to buy. They want to include a €22 million buy option in the agreement.
Arthur joined the Serie A giants from Barcelona in a bizarre €72 million deal that also included Miralem Pjanic moving in the opposite direction in 2020. He went on to make 63 appearances across competitions for them, bagging one goal and one assist.
Liverpool face Aston Villa competition for Manu Kone
Liverpool have set their sights on revamping their midfielder, with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on their way out. They have already signed Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion and are keen to further strengthen the area.
Borussia Monchengladbach's Kouadio Manu Kone is among the players linked with a move to Anfield this summer. According to German daily BILD, the Reds have been in touch with the Frenchman's entourage.
However, Liverpool face competition from Aston Villa for the former Toulouse star, as per The Daily Mail. The Villans, who have agreed a deal to sign Youri Tielemans from Leicester City for free, are keen to further bolster their options in midfield. Hence, they're eyeing a move for Kone alongside Arthur Melo.
Apart from Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers have also been credited with an interest in Kone. It, thus, remains to be seen if the Merseyside-based club win the race for the 22-year-old.
