Arthur Melo is set to head back to Barcelona in the next 24 hours with the intention of terminating his contract with the Camp Nou dwellers.
According to a Marca report, the move comes after news emerged that Barcelona 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.
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 after this month’s Champions League matches.
Arthur travelled to Ibiza following the conclusion of the league campaign and later headed 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.
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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.
Setien’s side face Napoli in the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie this week and could potentially have four matches in the competition.