Amid the ongoing talks between Barcelona and Juventus over a potential transfer of Arthur Melo, the Brazilian wants to remain fully committed to his current club.
Barcelona have been working on making some changes under the Blaugrana hood, and as a result, several player names have been mentioned, with very few left ‘untouchable’.
Arthur Melo has been a very discussed topic, with Juventus being very keen on acquiring the player as part of a possible player exchange deal. However, the player wants to continue with Barça, and wants to stay for years to come. In fact, he has decided to publicly speak out, in a statement sent out to the press Wednesday.
“There will always be speculations, but my idea, sincerely, is very clear: the only option that interests me is continuing in Barcelona. I am very sure [about that], and I am calm. I am feeling very well here and I am grateful to the club and the technical staff for their confidence [in me]. This is another reason for me to be clear on the fact that my desire is to continue here,” Melo explained.
Barcelona acquired Melo from Grêmio in the summer of 2018 for 31 million euros plus another 9 million euros in variables, and would lose money on a potential sale. The Brazilian admits that any interest from other clubs would flatter him, but will not change his objective, which is to stay in Barcelona ‘for many years to come’.
“The supposed interest from big clubs is always flattering for any player, it is a positive sign, but my mind is fully focused on playing here for many years to come,” he explained.
“Barça is where I have always wanted to be, and I want to wear the Blaugrana colors for a long time to come, beyond question. Every day I feel more comfortable and feel better here, in the team, in the club and in the city. I also like the people and the culture, and I feel the support of the fans,” the 23-year-old midfielder continued.
The coronavirus pandemic has hurt countries and football leagues around the world, with LaLiga, among other leagues, being suspended indefinitely.
However, Tuesday afternoon, Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, released a four phase plan, with the first phase being in effect from May 4. During this phase, also known as ‘phase 0’, professional athletes will be able to partake in training sessions, in which they train individually.
“I am 100 percent focused on working and returning to playing when that is possible, because I really want to continue growing here and fighting for more titles,” he added.
Arthur Melo’s current contract with Barcelona runs out in 2024, having penned on a six-year-deal when he signed in the summer of 2018.
