90min
Liverpool Under-23 coach Barry Lewtas has described summer loan signing Arthur Melo as ‘first class’ in training during the international break.
Arthur arrived on a £4m loan deal from Juventus on transfer deadline day, with Liverpool holding a £33m option to make the transfer a permanent one next summer.
But the Brazilian, who made his debut as a late substitute against Napoli in the Champions League, is lacking fitness after playing precious little football in recent months after his 2021/22 was also ended prematurely by injury trouble.
With others from the first-team squad away on international duty, Lewtas confirmed that Arthur waived time off in order to train and build up his fitness – he appeared as an over-age player for Liverpool’s Under-23s in Premier League 2 at the weekend and then again in the EFL Trophy.
The Times reported earlier this week that Arthur has recruited his own physio, fitness coach and nutritionist to help him, with private sessions planned in conjunction with Liverpool staff.
“Arthur has been in over the international break to play games and build up his fitness,” Lewtas told the Liverpool Echo. “That’s off his own back, so that shows his level of professionalism. He has been great with the lads as well. He has been first-class…