OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL: Arthur Melo extends Juve deal, joins Fiorentina on loan

Juventus’ first attempt to send Arthur Melo out on loan with an option to buy went about as poorly as you could have drawn it up. So, fast forward about 11 months from that move being finalized and you’ve got the second attempt at just that same kind of deal — and a little closer to base with a club he’s probably a little more suited for.

Juventus announced on Saturday that the 26-year-old Brazilian has joined Fiorentina on a season-long loan deal that has option to buy come next summer. That option to buy is worth €20 million, with Juve reportedly paying at least a lion’s share — if not all of — Arthur’s salary this season while Fiorentina sends over €2 million for the initial loan and potentially €2 million more for sporting bonuses.

There is a catch to all of this that could come back to bite Juve: As part of the whole deal, Arthur has also extended his contract with Juventus through 2026, adding a year onto his original deal that he signed in the summer of 2020 that ran through 2025.

The official wording of the deal, courtesy of the Juventus press office:

Turin, 22 July 2023 - Juventus Football Club S.p.A. announces that an agreement has been reached with ACF Fiorentina s.r.l. for the temporary disposal, until 30 June 2024, of the registration rights of the player Arthur Henrique Ramos De Oliveira Melo for a consideration of € 2 million, and bonuses up to a maximum of € 2 million upon achievement of agreed sporting objectives.

The agreement further envisages the right for Fiorentina to definitively acquire the player’s registration rights; the agreed consideration for the definitive disposal is € 20 million, payable in three years.

With Arthur’s deal being extended another season, it’s no surprise that the club is banking on this loan deal working out much more than what we saw play out with Liverpool last season. The fact is Juve can’t afford to have him become the latest Marko Pjaca where he’s just going out on loan every single year for the next four years considering how high of a salary he has.

This is the chance for Arthur to both ressurrect his career while Juve also to recoup some of the money that they have spent on him over the last few years.

Hopefully it does happen and Fiorentina can be the place where he can stay for more than one season and give Fiorentina a reason or two to make his deal permanent.