Federico Chiesa – More savvy business from the Pool
Today at 02:30 AM
During the Jurgen Klopp tenure at Anfield, one of the great success stories at Liverpool was how savvy and successful they were in the transfer market. Go and buy a full back from Hull, a centre back and winger from Southampton, goalkeeper and winger from Roma and you're in the midst of building one of the most formidable Premier League sides in recent years.
Of course, there is more to just putting the money forward and a huge tip of the cap needs to go to Klopp for how he managed and developed these players, but the success rate of the club’s signings was staggering.
Under the new reign of Arne Slot, some Liverpool fans were worried about the lack of signings, especially after Martin Zubimendi turned down their offer to stay at Real Sociedad. With the rest of the top six making a splash to strengthen their squad, it looked like Liverpool's only business this summer was to wave goodbye to Sepp van den Berg and Fabio Carvalho to Brentford, until the savvy Liverpool came back again to spend up to £12.5 million on Federico Chiesa.
This signing has Michael Edwards written all over it. His data – guided approach has been a main factor in why Liverpool's signings have been so successful throughout his tenure at Anfield and although he hasn't been able to splash the cash for Arne Slot's first summer window, this signing gives Liverpool depth across the front three and someone who has played at top level throughout his career.
Two summers ago, the bill probably would've reached nine figures and although he hasn't been as good as he was as part of the Italian team who won Euro 2020, there is definitely still a player in there. The main issue with Chiesa is the serious injury worries that the winger has had to deal with that has somewhat derailed the notoriety that he gained throughout the years. His right knee and thigh have taken the brunt of the beating to his body with a total of 19 injuries coming from that area, most notably his cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out for 11 months, and the worry is that it will continue to give him struggles and he won't be able to return to any sort of form. That seems to be the reasoning that Thiago Motta got him out of Turin, a decision that was not popular amongst Juve fans.
Chiesa has an exciting potential and performing so well for Italy has probably been what most have us have been exposed to and why we see that potential. Although stats aren't everything, the 26-year-old has failed to score over 10 league goals for Juventus, with his highest goals tally being last season, with nine goals and two assists. His best statistical season was in 2020/21 with 16 goals and assists in his first season in Turin, the same output he registered in 2019/20 in Florence with 10 goals and 6 assists. Again, stats aren't everything, especially in a more tactically defensive type of league such as the Serie A, but Liverpool fans will be looking for a much higher output to break into their forward rotation.
A high energy and dangerous winger, he definitely fits the mold of Arne Slot and Liverpool and there's no doubt that the Anfield faithful will take to him and urge him on to recreate some of that Euro 2020 form.
