Liverpool midfielder Arthur Melo has announced his departure after his failed move to Anfield.

What's the latest on Arthur Melo's future?

Speaking to Goal, the 26-year-old revealed he will not be staying at the club although that never appeared to be in question given how his time at Anfield has panned out.

He said: "I'm ready for a new challenge. I hope to say goodbye to Liverpool by playing some minutes.

"I want to say thanks to fans, club and Klopp who always treated me well. I feel very good now. La Liga could be an option for me now."

Fans were baffled by the logic behind signing the former Barcelona star despite already being injured at the time. Subsequent issues prevented him from making any kind of impact on the season.

His injury woes actually compounded the injury crisis Jurgen Klopp was forced to contend with this season. In total, Arthur has made just four appearances - and just one for the senior side - for a grand total of 256 minutes.

Ultimately, it's not Arthur's fault that his transfer to Liverpool failed but he should never have been signed in the first place. It was a panicked signing and is evidence of how FSG's transfer policy has been undermined since the Reds found huge success in the Premier League and Champions League.

What are Liverpool's plans to rebuild the midfield?

Liverpool are closing on a move to sign Alexis Mac Allister and if it keeps progressing, it's likely he will join the Reds.

The player is reportedly "very keen" to play for Liverpool where Jurgen Klopp can take his career to the next level. Adding the 24-year-old to his squad would allow the manager to return his side to challenge for honours - with Liverpool's midfield ageing and prone to injury, recruitment is the only way to inject more quality and durability back into the side.

Another interesting target is Manuel Ugarte, who is the exact sort of gritty player Liverpool have missed since Georginio Wijnaldum was allowed to leave on a free transfer in 2021. Ugarte averages almost six counter-press recoveries per 90 minutes which is an elite record.

With Naby Keita, James Milner, Arthur Melo and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all vacating their midfield roles this summer, the Liverpool wage bill be decreased significantly. Arthur alone is paid £110,000 per week and his move to Liverpool will have cost them £5.2m by the end of the season.