According to Daily Mail, Arthur Melo has snubbed a move to Tottenham Hotspur in favour of a Barcelona stay. The midfielder reportedly claims he is happy at his current club and wants to continue his career in Catalonia, serving Spurs and Juventus, who have both been linked with the club, a massive blow.
Why Arthur Melo would have been a great signing for Spurs
Arthur would have been a welcome addition to the Tottenham Hotspur side that is suffering from lack of reliable options in central midfield. With Tanguy Ndombele facing an uncertain future at the club, he could have replaced the Frenchman in central midfield.
Indeed, Arthur is equipped with immense technical quality that allows him to distribute possession effortlessly. He can also carry the ball across half-spaces and ease his side’s transition play, making him an effective number eight.
Another key asset in Arthur’s game is his quick feet. The Brazilian can nestle through tight spaces and evade the opposition press, which often becomes useful during counter-attacking situations. The midfielder has notably averaged 1.8 dribbles per game this season with an astounding success rate of 90%.
Aside from that, the Barcelona star is an aggressive player, who is always willing to close down opposing ball-carriers, thus creating potential turnovers. Certainly, these qualities would have made him an ideal midfield partner for Harry Winks.
The youngster’s tenacity and work-rate would have combined well with Arthur’s more technically astute style of play, ultimately making Tottenham much more effective in the middle third of the pitch.
What does the future hold?
At this point, letting go of Ndombele would still be the best option. The Frenchman is simply a misfit in Jose Mourinho’s system, and his fitness problems could have long term repercussions on his career. Barcelona have been among the clubs interested in Ndombele, but it doesn’t look like Arthur can be included in a swap deal.
The obvious option, therefore, is to use the Ndombele fees to fund moves for other targets in the market. Corentin Tolisso, for one, might not be a bad option, with Bayern Munich reportedly ready to offload the French 2018 World Cup winner this summer.
Other options include Mario Gotze, who will be available as a free agent, with the playmaker set to see out his existing contract at Borussia Dortmund. But, with the season’s fate still uncertain, it remains to be seen how Spurs implement their transfer policy based on the outcomes of the ongoing campaign.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
