Liverpool are reportedly signing one of Europe’s best passers in Arthur Melo. The Brazilian has his faults but is undeniably talented.
It felt as though we’d written about every possible Liverpool signing over the last few months. One that never came up, however, was Arthur Melo – a player now expected to join the Reds today.
It’s a surprise one. Arthur would arrive on loan without any option to buy. He’s also a player whose reputation has tanked over the last few years. From 14 Brazil caps in 2019 to out of the squad in 2022. That’s something he hopes to correct, however.
So why do Liverpool want him? Well, Arthur’s qualities are unquestionable and he should be the Thiago-cover that the Reds sorely need. We had a look into his data from the last 12 months that gives an idea of what Liverpool are getting.
Liverpool are signing Arthur Melo
Fbref uses data from Statsbomb to rank stats into a percentile by position. It’s not as complex as it first sounds – for example, Arthur completes 91.1% of his passes. That ranks in the 97th percentile for midfielders across Europe’s top-five leagues. Only 2% of midfielders can top that.
And so what’s clear from that stat alone is that Arthur can pass. More importantly, his passing over medium (15 to 30 yards) and long-range (over 30 yards) is sensational. The Brazilian completes around 32.12 medium-range passes per 90, which is 98th percentile. He completes 11 over 30 yards, too – 97th percentile.
Above all, Arthur completes 90.1% of his long-range passes. That’s the highest success rate in Europe.
Arthur also completes 7.39 passes into the final third per 90, which is 98th percentile. This is a vital stat for Liverpool. It shows a world-class ability to pass through the first line of a press and get the ball to attacking players.
It’s something Liverpool sorely missed against Manchester United and Newcastle United with Thiago out of the side. Arthur is fantastic at this and the Reds shouldn’t struggle against aggressive presses with him in the side.
He’s not a shy player, either. Arthur averages 53.71 touches in the middle third, which is 96th percentile. Liverpool value this immensely – Thiago averages the most in Europe.
One other stat really stands out. Arthur shows a desire to move with the ball, even under pressure in midfield. He carries the ball for an average of 346 yards per 90 – the 99th percentile for midfielders. Again, this is something Liverpool really need in the middle of the pitch right now.
The pressing factor
One big question about midfielders at Liverpool is ‘can they press?’. Arthur can, even if he’s not world-class at it. He presses roughly 21 times per 90, which is 74th percentile. Fairly average, then, although he’s 91st percentile for pressing in the defensive third.
Even if he isn’t as aggressive as some, Arthur will attempt the win the ball back when he has to. We imagine these numbers jump at Liverpool, of course.
Overall
We’re excited to see what Arthur can bring at Liverpool as he’s ready-made in a lot of ways. He’ll have some adapting to do, of course, and still faces questions over his fitness record and motivation. If he’s able to play at his best, though, Liverpool will have the right player for them.
Arthur can help them push teams back and play through any aggression. He’s brilliant at playing accurate, direct passes and is only tackle once every other game. No one should expect another Thiago but as cover? We’re not sure there was a better risk to take.
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