Liverpool waiting on Jurgen Klopp to make January decision on Arthur

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Liverpool are waiting on Jurgen Klopp to make a decision on the future of Arthur Melo. The Reds have an option to sign the Brazilian on a permanent basis for a fee in the region of £33million.

Liverpool signed Arthur on a season-long loan from Juventus on transfer deadline day in the summer. Klopp scoured the market for midfield reinforcement and brought in the Brazil international.

However, the move has not gone anywhere near how all parties would have hoped. Arthur has made just one substitute appearance for Liverpool since joining.

He suffered a serious thigh injury in October which required surgery. The 26-year-old is on his way back to full fitness but is still not expected to feature until at least late next month.

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Midfield is an area Klopp wants to continue to recruit in. But potential incomings may depend on the German’s plans for Arthur.

Liverpool have the option to sign the player for £33m. However, ESPN claims Klopp could also decide to send him back to Juve in January if he doesn’t view him as part of his plans.

The club are waiting to see what Klopp decides before pursuing other targets in the winter window. If Arthur does return to Turin early, there would be a space created for a new midfielder.

Jude Bellingham is Liverpool’s top midfield target, though that deal would not happen until the summer. Argentina’s World Cup star Enzo Fernandez is also high on the list for Klopp.

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Sofyan Amrabat has also attracted interest from the Merseyside club. The Fiorentina star was one of Morocco’s stand-out players in Qatar on their way to an historic semi-final.

ESPN has also given an update on the Liverpool players out of contract at the end of the season. Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, James Milner and Adrian all see their current deals expire in the summer.

Firmino is most likely to be offered an extension, following nine goals and four assists in the opening half of the season. But the report says there is no guarantee the 31-year-old will stay.

Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita have again been affected by injuries which have kept them out of much of the season so far. Milner will turn 37 in early January, while goalkeeper Adrian has lost his place as second-choice stopper to Caoimhin Kelleher.

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