Liverpool keeping close watch on 26y/o amid contract talks stalling at current club – report
Liverpool are understood to be keeping a close watch on the situation of one Serie A player, according to journalist Graeme Bailey.
In a piece for HITC, it’s been reported that the Reds are paying close attention to Federico Chiesa, whose negotiations over a new deal at Juventus have stalled due to a disparity on his salary arrangement.
The 26-year-old’s current contract in Turin expires in June 2025, and Bianconeri chiefs are eager not to let him go into next season without his future resolved, with the impasse leading to several clubs (including LFC) being alerted to his potential availability.
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Liverpool could potentially be in the market for a new attacker if Mo Salah were to leave Anfield, with rumours of a potential move to Saudi Arabia continuing to abound.
Chiesa has been intermittently linked with the Reds in recent months without any sign of a transfer materialising, although the contract impasse at Juventus might be the trigger for a potential deal to be struck.
The 26-year-old has 44 Serie A goals to his name and was a member of Italy’s Euro 2020-winning squad, so he certainly boasts a decent pedigree, but there’s one glaring red flag of which LFC chiefs should be aware.
The forward is notoriously injury-prone, having suffered a series of absences since his initial return from a nine-month cruciate ligament layoff in 2022 (Transfermarkt), which throws a huge question mark over his reliability despite his on-field talents.
Even if he can be acquired for a potential knockdown price if his contract situation at Juventus remains unresolved, signing Chiesa would represent a big gamble for Liverpool when considering his appalling fitness record and his wage packet of more than £180,000 per week (Capology).
If the Reds do need to go into the market for a successor to Salah in the foreseeable future, they’d be well advised not to take a chance on a player who history suggests will be on the treatment table as often as on the pitch.
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