Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal and his team have met with midfielder Arthur Melo over the termination of his contract and absence from first-team training.
It follows on from Barcelona news that the club are opening legal proceedings against the midfielder after he refused to return to the club’s training facilities ahead of their Champions League tie against Napoli.
Tema @arthurhromelo: a las 10 de la mañana se ha reunido con Eric Abidal en la Ciudad Deportiva. Queda pendiente esta tarde otra reunión Setién-Abidal para tomar una decisión deportiva con el brasileño. El expediente sancionador va por otra vía. @ESPORTSCOPE @partidazocope
— Helena Condis Edo (@HelenaCondis) August 10, 2020
The details of the latest meeting are outlined by El Mundo Deportivo after the Brazilian returned to the club’s facilities for the first time since the end of the league season.
However, it is emphasised how there is no intention or expectation that the central midfielder will play for the club again, with this meeting purely based on his decision to go AWOL.
The 23-year-old is said to feel mistreated by the club but wants a more friendly exit later this month, and even wants to be allowed to train with his teammates before his departure is finalised.
The Blaugrana will not comply with the Brazilian’s request to allow him to join Juventus – with whom he has a transfer agreement in place – earlier than the end date of the 2019/20 season, which will conclude following this month’s Champions League matches.
Arthur travelled to Ibiza following the conclusion of the league campaign and later travelled back to his own nation, and despite the Catalan club warning him that not returning would involve serious consequences, he has decided not to return.
The player feels that the club have mistreated him and believes that the transfer was done to balance the club’s accounts, rather than taken through any sporting decision.
It is said that his relationship with coach Quique Setien has been non-existent since the transfer was announced, and indeed that has been borne out by the player not playing a minute of first-team football since.
If the player want to end his contract with the club then why the club still keep him waiting because even if he stays he can,t do nothing for the club.