Why Liverpool want Federico Chiesa and Mohamed Salah to play crucial roles in a bargain £10.9 million transfer
Federico Chiesa is set to join Liverpool in a £10.9 million transfer from Juventus, but many people have questioned if the Reds actually need the Italian.
It was definitely not the 'first' signing that many expected with Michael Edwards' return and his lofty aspirations, but when Liverpool's deal for Federico Chiesa is examined more closely, it may have been.
With Edwards now in his post as FSG's head of football, Richard Hughes, an Italian speaker who grew up in the country, is taking over as sporting director of the Reds on a daily basis. He vowed Liverpool would be "opportunistic" in the market this summer, only to discover his role is under heavy examination following the failure to recruit Martin Zubimendi.
In a perfect world, the Euro 2024 winner would have been the first of Arne Slot's stint as head coach, and while Giorgi Mamardashvili technically holds that honor, he's difficult to get excited about at the moment.
Which brings us to Chiesa and a reported £10.9 million deal for an attacker who was valued at £80 million just a few years ago. The three pressing issues about the move are why he isn't there anymore, his injury history, and why Liverpool wants him, so let's get to the bottom of them.
Why is Federico Chiesa so inexpensive?
Oliver Skipp cost Leicester City £25 million when he signed from Tottenham, and while no disrespect is intended to the hardworking midfielder, Chiesa, a Euro 2020 champion who starred in that Italy team, will cost less than half that.
The reasons for this are numerous, but the main one is that he has only one year remaining on his contract, and having stated that he has no intention of signing a new one, he has been frozen out of new Juventus manager Thiago Motta's plans this season.
Juve are going through an overhaul as younger players who fit Motta's approach are promoted, and Chiesa is not one of them. In actuality, he began to not suit Juve's style last season when he was asked to play in a front two with Dusan Vlahovic, given the most of his good work is done out wide.
Do Liverpool require Federico Chiesa?
Short answer: yes. Slot's style necessitates the Reds having pacy wide players who can take on their opponents in one-on-one scenarios, and while they have five strikers at their disposal, there is definitely room for a sixth in the first-team squad.
Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez, both of whom played wide for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, appear to have been identified solely as central strikers by the new boss, with Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo available on the left side, leaving Mo Salah on the right.
Ah, Salah. The Egyptian has started the season on fire, scoring two goals in two games while appearing meaner and slimmer than ever. We're all aware of the contract situation, but the Chiesa signing will serve as both future proof in the event of his leaving and a way to conserve his legs throughout a demanding season.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0