Liverpool are flying high at the top of both the Premier League and Champions League but head coach Arne Slot faces a potential problem early on in the January transfer window.
The Dutch manager has made a strong start at Anfield, with his team currently six points ahead of second-place Arsenal in the Premier League, plus a game in hand.
Liverpool’s next match is against fierce rivals Manchester United on Sunday, and their lead could be reduced to just three points if Arsenal beats Brighton away on Saturday.
Although Slot may be surprised by his success in his first season in English football, the former Feyenoord manager is facing some challenges.
There are still questions surrounding the futures of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, all of whom are set to become free agents at the end of the season and are in ongoing contract negotiations with the club.
Additionally, there are concerns over Federico Chiesa, a summer signing who has played only 123 minutes for Liverpool’s first team this season.
Chiesa joined the club from Juventus for around £10m in August, becoming Liverpool’s sole senior signing of the summer transfer window. However, the 27-year-old Italy international has struggled with fitness and has failed to make an impact in the first part of the season.
According to Foot Mercato, Chiesa is now seeking a transfer in January and wants to return to Italy immediately.
Anfield Watch reports that the player feels homesick, dislikes the weather in England, and is struggling to adapt to the physicality of the Premier League. Additionally, TBR Football states that Chiesa’s representatives have expressed his frustration to Liverpool, as he wants to leave.
Interestingly, Liverpool is reportedly open to letting him go.
Potential destinations for Chiesa include Atalanta, Napoli, Inter, AC Milan, Roma, and Fiorentina, with his former club Juventus also mentioned as a possibility.
Any potential move is expected to be a temporary loan, as Italian clubs are hesitant to cover his reported €7.5m (£6m) yearly salary.
Slot has advised Liverpool fans to be patient with Chiesa, given his ongoing fitness challenges, which he attributes to the higher intensity of English football compared to Italy.
“When a player has been sidelined for five or six months, you can’t expect him to return to his peak form right away,” Slot explained.
“Typically, during preseason, a player would play three, four, or five games. But he’s only had four or five weeks, and considering he’s been out for so long, it’s tough to get him back to his best level.”
