End of the Road? Liverpool Set to Make Tough Decision on Federico Chiesa’s Future
The Italian winger has struggled to find his place in Arne Slot’s system, and reports from Italy suggest he is destined for an Anfield exit.
The upcoming summer transfer window is shaping up to be a busy one at Anfield. As Arne Slot continues to refine his long-term vision for Liverpool, significant adjustments to the squad are on the horizon. Among the names circulating most frequently in the departure lounge is Federico Chiesa. According to several reports from the Italian media, the winger’s time in a Red shirt appears to be coming to a premature end after failing to secure a consistent role during the current campaign.
If the move materializes, it would mark the end of an incredibly brief cycle for the 28-year-old forward. Chiesa arrived on Merseyside in August 2024 from Juventus for a fee in the region of £10 million. At the time, his arrival sparked immense excitement among the Liverpool faithful, who remembered his world-class displays in Serie A and his instrumental role in Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph. However, the reality of the Premier League has proven to be a starkly different story.
A Difficult Start: Fitness and Adaptation
From the very beginning, Chiesa’s landing in England was conditioned by unfortunate circumstances. The lingering physical issues he carried over from his final seasons at Juventus, combined with a complete lack of a proper pre-season at Liverpool, made his adaptation to the high-octane pace of the Premier League nearly impossible. By the time he regained full fitness, Arne Slot’s offensive hierarchy was already firmly established, leaving the Italian as a peripheral figure.
Inside the club, there is a growing perception that Chiesa never truly integrated into Slot’s tactical blueprint. The Dutch manager’s philosophy is built on three non-negotiable pillars:
- Intense, coordinated pressing.
- Disciplined spatial awareness.
- Rigid collective automatisms.
In this highly structured ecosystem, Chiesa—a player who thrives on spontaneity, individual flair, and transitional chaos—found very few opportunities to break into the starting XI. The statistics tell a grim story: just two starts in the Premier League, with most of his appearances coming as a late substitute or in domestic cup rotations where the team’s quality was naturally diluted.
Slot’s Reconstruction: No Room for Sentiment
Since taking the reins in 2024, Arne Slot has overseen a profound renovation of the Liverpool squad. The club has invested heavily over the last few windows to rejuvenate a group that had reached the end of an exhausting era. Part of this "cold" strategic approach involves making difficult decisions about players who have failed to consolidate their positions.
Internal analysis—based on minutes played, pressing efficiency, and offensive production per 90 minutes—has led the sporting department to conclude that Chiesa’s path to a starting role is permanently blocked. With a new wave of young attackers knocking on the door and several high-profile wingers on Liverpool's 2026 summer shortlist, an exit for the Italian international seems like the most logical conclusion for all parties involved.
European Prestige: A Market Still Open
Despite his quiet stint at Anfield, Chiesa’s reputation across the continent remains remarkably solid. His explosiveness and ability to change a game in a heartbeat were well-documented during his years at Fiorentina and Juventus. Clubs across Europe still view him as a high-ceiling talent who simply found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The issue at Liverpool was never a lack of quality, but rather a lack of context. By the time Chiesa reached peak physical condition, the team was already competing for major silverware with a settled lineup, leaving no room for experimentation.
The Next Chapter: Serie A or LaLiga?
As the summer of 2026 approaches, Liverpool must decide whether to pursue a permanent sale or a loan deal with an option to buy. Serie A clubs remain highly attentive to his situation, with several Italian giants eager to bring their "prodigal son" back home. Additionally, interest from LaLiga has surfaced in recent weeks, offering Chiesa a potential fresh start in a league that might better suit his technical profile.
For Liverpool, offloading the Italian allows them to trim the wage bill and open up a spot for a profile more aligned with Slot’s tactical "heavy metal" football. For Federico Chiesa, the next move is perhaps the most important of his career—a final chance to prove that the "Little Magician" who conquered Europe in 2020 is still very much alive.
