Liverpool may cancel Arthur Melo loan in January amid Jude Bellingham interest – Paper Round

Liverpool tempted by Bellingham transfer

Liverpool are keen to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund this summer, according to The Telegraph. The 19-year-old midfielder has excelled in Germany in the past few years and he has attracted attention from Liverpool, who signed Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo on loan as they hit difficulties in midfield with their injury. There is no news on whether Bellingham has a release clause.

Paper Round’s view: Bellingham looks to be the next exceptional talent who will leave Dortmund in the next season or two, but unless there is a release clause as with Erling Haaland, the Germans do not sell for bargain sums. Liverpool could conceivably have to stump up far more than £100 million in order to land the youngster in the summer of 2023.

Liverpool prepared to cut Melo deal short

The Sun believes that after injuries to Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara, Ibrahima Konate, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones, Fabio Carvalho, Calvin Ramsay and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Liverpool are willing to cancel their loan deal for Arthur Melo if they find an alternative permanent solution in the January transfer market, with the 26-year-old Brazilian only playing a handful of minutes so far.

Paper Round’s view: Arthur had seemed to be an excellent prospect for Barcelona when he first joined but like Miralem Pjanic, who went the other way from Juventus as part of the deal, the two players have suffered in their new surroundings. Liverpool do not appear convinced either as they are yet to give him a starting role, and if their injury problems lesson it might be that he leaves in January even if nobody else joins.

Carroll makes Reading switch

Reading have re-signed their former striker Andy Carroll, reports The Mirror. The 33-year-old striker spent the start of last season at Reading, but departed to spend the rest of the campaign with West Brom as they chased promotion. After being released in the summer he was looking for a new deal and has now linked back up with his old side for a second time in The Championship.

Paper Round’s view: Carroll has managed more than 20 appearances in each of his last three seasons so while he is perhaps not going to be available for every game this season, it does appear that the worst of his injury problems are behind him. He looked like a hugely powerful and promising player when he started at Newcastle but it is clear his best is well behind him.

Foster turns down Newcastle

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster turned down Newcastle, according to the Daily Mail. The 39-year-old left Watford in the summer and Newcastle contacted them when they needed back-up for Nick Pope at short notice. The goalkeeper however was not keen to leave his family for the duration, and Newcastle decided to sign Loris Karius for the rest of the season.

Paper Round’s view: Karis has only signed on until January so it seems unlikely that he will be kept on when Karl Darlow returns to full fitness, but he has done OK at other clubs since the disastrous end to his career at Liverpool. At 29 he has perhaps a decade left in the rest of his career and going without another club for too long would put his long-term future in question.