Juventus have officially terminated Arthur Melo’s contract, bringing an end to a signing that cost the Italian club an estimated €93m and worked out at approximately €1.48m for every competitive appearance.
The Brazilian midfielder joined Juventus from Barcelona in 2020 as part of a swap deal involving Miralem Pjanic. The transfer raised eyebrows at the time, with Pjanic widely regarded as a fan favourite in Turin.
Arthur was valued at €72m, with a further €10m in potential add-ons, while Pjanic’s valuation was set at €60m plus €5m in bonuses. Juventus also paid additional money as part of the agreement, meaning the Italian club committed significant funds to a player who would make a limited impact.
According to an analysis by Calcio e Finanza, the overall cost increased substantially once Arthur’s wages were included. The publication estimated that almost €20m gross was paid to the midfielder in salary during his time under contract, taking Juventus’ total expenditure to about €100m.
Juventus recovered approximately €7.2m through loan fees during spells with Liverpool, Fiorentina and Girona. Those payments reduced the final cost to the club to around €93m.
Despite that outlay, Arthur made only 63 competitive appearances for Juventus. He scored one goal and supplied one assist during those matches.
On that basis, the midfielder cost Juventus roughly €1.48m per game in which he played. The calculation becomes even more striking when his limited playing time is taken into account: many of his appearances came from the substitutes’ bench, and his cost was estimated at about €28,000 for every minute spent on the pitch.
Juventus said the early termination of Arthur’s contract would have a “negative effect” on the club’s finances. However, the decision ends a relationship that had produced little sporting return after the initial transfer raised expectations that the Brazil international could become an important part of the team.
Arthur arrived in Turin after establishing himself at Barcelona, but he was unable to secure a regular place in the Juventus side. His time at the club was subsequently interrupted by loan moves to England, Italy and Spain before the contract was finally ended.
The financial figures have led to criticism of the deal, although they are based on the total cost of a transfer involving a player exchange, wages and subsequent loan arrangements. Some observers have questioned whether calculating a per-match figure gives a complete picture of the agreement, given that it was not a straightforward cash transfer.
Even with that caveat, the combination of the transfer valuation, salary costs, limited appearances and minimal goal contribution makes Arthur’s Juventus spell one of the club’s most disappointing investments. The analysis suggests it will be difficult to identify many deals in Juventus’ history that delivered less value on the pitch for the money spent.
