Liverpool flop Federico Chiesa tipped for a surprise January transfer after a new report detailed his struggles on Merseyside.
Chiesa was Liverpool’s sole signing during Arne Slot’s first transfer window in charge, with the club paying £10 million to Juventus after the player was made available for transfer. The Italy international signed a four-year contract, and many saw the deal as a major win for Liverpool given the relatively low fee.
However, Chiesa has made only four appearances for the Premier League and Champions League leaders, struggling to regain his fitness and find match rhythm. In the Premier League, the former Fiorentina player has only played 18 minutes as a substitute against Bournemouth early in the season.
He has been sidelined for extended periods due to a muscle injury and, after being named on the bench against Leicester, was absent from the squad for Liverpool’s 5-0 victory over West Ham.
There has been speculation that Chiesa could return to Italy soon, with Inter Milan, AC Milan, Napoli, Atalanta, and Roma reportedly interested. His wages might pose an issue, though a loan move could offer a solution.
A recent report from Anfield Watch sheds light on why Chiesa has struggled at Liverpool, suggesting that he has become homesick and is unhappy with the weather.
Chiesa has struggled to adjust to the different intensity levels of English football, a challenge that both Slot and some sections of the Italian media have highlighted. Additionally, it’s reported that Chiesa’s attitude and mentality have been issues, contributing to his limited playing time.
His only start for Liverpool came on the right wing in a 5-1 Carabao Cup victory over West Ham, and he appeared far from match-ready during a 45-minute substitute appearance against Southampton.
When asked about Chiesa’s absence from the most recent matchday squad, Slot explained that the main focus for the 27-year-old is to improve his match fitness, which has required additional training.
Slot clarified in a press conference: “With Federico, I’ve said this many times before, we are working on two things. We are focusing on his match fitness, and whenever possible, we try to have him on the bench with the team. However, he was on the bench last week, and we decided it would be better for him to do extra training sessions instead of joining us. It’s a constant balance between improving his fitness and integrating him with the team.”
