According to reports from Italy, Liverpool could find themselves up against a familiar foe in one transfer pursuit this summer.
Monday’s print edition of Tuttosport claimed (via Football Italia) that the Reds are ‘in the front row’ to sign Federico Chiesa, who’s at the centre of contractual uncertainty as his Juventus deal enters its final year.
However, Sportitalia sources are indicating that prospective new Napoli head coach Antonio Conte – who led Chelsea to the Premier League title in 2017 – is keen on the 26-year-old, who he unsuccessfully tried to recruit for Inter Milan four years ago.
Chiesa’s name has been linked with Liverpool for some time now, and it appears that the Italy forward is still of interest at Anfield.
Former club and international teammate Giorgio Chiellini is a big admirer of the 26-year-old, praising his ‘amazing’ pace and lauding him as ‘unstoppable’ in full flow (beIN SPORTS).
He finished the season with 10 goals in all competitions, scoring in Juve’s final two matches of the campaign to help them clinch third place in Serie A (Transfermarkt).
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Chiesa’s abilities as a player are beyond question, but the spectre of injury problems continues to cast a shadow over him. Since returning from a cruciate ligament tear in October 2022, he’s had 10 separate absences, albeit that each of those were brief layoffs (Transfermarkt).
Nonetheless, that may still be a concern to Arne Slot and the Liverpool hierarchy if they were to consider investing in the Juventus forward. He’s a player we’d certainly welcome at Anfield given his talents, but those aren’t of much use if he can’t be relied upon to stay fit.
It’s something that LFC chiefs must consider before deciding whether or not to seriously pursue the Euro 2020 winner.