Liverpool have been expected to be active in the 2023 summer transfer window and have been linked with a move for Juventus winger Federico Chiesa of late.
What's the latest on Liverpool's pursuit of Federico Cheisa?
According to Corriere dello Sport (via Football Italia), Liverpool are eyeing a move for the Italy international after Massimiliano Allegri's outfit's ten-point deduction this term confined them to a spot in the Europa Conference League.
A separate report from the same outlet (via TEAMtalk) states that Chelsea and Manchester United are also in the race, with the marauding wideman holding just two years left on his current deal.
It has been claimed that a bid in the region of €40m (£34m) should be enough to prise him away from the Old Lady, though whether this would be an auspicious move for Jurgen Klopp's outfit right now is questionable…
Should Liverpool sign Federico Chiesa?
Liverpool could end up replicating the pathos attached to the past signing of Mario Balotelli by completing a move for Chiesa, who, despite his evident innate talent, has proved to be unreliable with his fitness levels over the past few seasons.
The polarity between the 14/15 and 23/24 summer transfer quandaries lies in the problems the club have been beset with.
Balotelli was signed from AC Milan for £16m in 2014 as a late-window snatch to – inadequately – replace Luis Suarez after he completed his blockbuster £75m transfer to Barcelona the previous month.
However, the poignancy of the Balotelli deal could seep back into Anfield if Chiesa was signed this summer. While the Euro 2020 champion is not tethered to the same notoriety as his high-profile compatriot, the respective injury issues and indeed their nationality could lead history to repeat itself.
The £153k-per-week phenom was sensational as his country clinched European glory in 2021, earning an average Sofascore rating of 7.06 during the tournament, scoring two goals and completing 80% of his passes, but a detrimental ACL injury in January 2022 has left the 25-year-old knocked from prominence ever since.
Prone to picking up niggling injuries before that fateful hindrance, Chiesa has actually missed a total of 62 matches over the past two campaigns, which does not bode well for a Liverpool team not unknown to be hampered by injury setbacks themselves, likely a repercussion of the high-octane, gegenpressing system Klopp implements.
Liverpool do have an expansive and impressive strikeforce that would provide Chiesa with enough support to see his match action aptly managed, but this is only a further reason to deter the Merseyside outfit from issuing a swoop, especially considering the major surgery that is required across the midfield this summer, with the defence requiring a spruce-up too.
And while the past Balotelli failure differed greatly considering the calibre of the club and Liverpool's attacking intent, Chiesa's "potent" – as he has been hailed by Rio Ferdinand – aura as an attacker should not dissuade Klopp and co from aborting interest and entrusting their current crop with the task in spearheading a renaissance.