£16M star compared to Thiago by former Liverpool player - will not leave in January

Liverpool's deadline day loan move for £16M rated star has been praised by a former player who compared him to Thiago and believes he just needs time to settle.

The Reds signed Arthur Melo on deadline day on a season-long loan but the 26-year-old has only featured in 13 minutes of action so far.

Brought in to help boost Liverpool's midfield issues, he will deputise in central midfield ahead of the injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Curtis Jones, but will be a back-up to the regular starters of Fabinho, Thiago and Jordan Henderson.

Former Reds left-back Fabio Aurelio has backed his compatriot to succeed at Anfield, but stresses he just needs time to develop and that Liverpool is a great place for hi,

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Aurelio on Arthur's move

Former left-back Aurelio has given his stamp of approval on the new signing and has compared his playing style to that of Thiago and he believes he's at the right club to show off his qualities.

“I believe Arthur Melo is an interesting addition to this Liverpool squad, and it's obviously great the Brazilian legacy at Liverpool expands. I hope he has the same success as his compatriots.” Aurelio claimed.

“From what I know about him, he should fit really well in Liverpool's system. He's a player that likes to constantly be in the game, touching the ball, controlling the pace of play, liking to be dynamic – similar to what Thiago likes to do in a sense.”

"Here in Brazil, the expectations for him were really high prior to his move to Europe. He couldn't be in a better place to fulfil his potential than at Liverpool under this manager.”

“He'll need some time to adapt to the team and the Premier League. What I had to adjust to most was the intensity of the game. I had to learn to play more physical and think more quickly – without losing your technique. The pace can compromise your quality sometimes.”

Arthur has only had 13 minutes of action so far which came against Napoli in the 4-1 defeat but will be hoping to earn regular minutes after the international break, given Liverpool's hectic schedule.

Going nowhere in January

They will play Rochdale in the EFL Trophy tonight, with two players over 21 years old allowed to feature in the fixture.

It's a chance for Arthur to build up some fitness and get sharp having not been picked for the Brazilian squad due to a lack of regular minutes on the pitch.