Did Liverpool take a risk that is destined to end in disappointment?
Or, instead, did the Premier League challengers pull off one of the best pound-for-pound signings, not only in this window but in recent memory?
Of course, how the narrative is framed surrounding Federico Chiesa’s time at Anfield will depend on whether the £10 million addition from Juventus can rediscover the form that made him arguably the stand-out attacker at the 2021 European Championships.
Chiesa was labelled unplayable by Italy legend Gianluigi Buffon as the Azzurri broke England’s hearts at Wembley. Juventus legend Alessio Tacchinardi labelled him a future Ballon D’Or winner.
Chiesa was nowhere to be seen as the official 30-strong Ballon D’Or shortlist was revealed last week, however. And that in itself explains how much his reputation has suffered during three years beset by injuries and inconsistent form.
There is a reason why Liverpool got him so cheap.
That £10 million fee could prove to be a quite remarkable bit of business, but Chiesa arrives with a point to prove and amid some rather unflattering comparisons with the last player to join The Reds from Juve.
Liverpool sign Federico Chiesa from Juventus
Arthur Melo famously played only once during a disastrous loan spell in 2022/23.
Chiesa will not struggle to beat that tally. Though forcing his way into a side boasting arguably the finest selection of forwards in the Premier League is obviously far easier said than done.
Paulo Sousa handed Chiesa his senior debut at Fiorentina back in 2016.
The former QPR, Swansea and Leicester City boss accepts that his former Viola wonderkid has not become the world-beater he threatened to be – thanks in part to an ACL injury he suffered just after that glorious Euros campaign – but Sousa feels that he can still make a substantial impact at Liverpool provided he stays clear of the treatment table.
“I love Federico,” Sousa, who currently coaches Shabab Al Ahli Club in Dubai, tells Gazzetta dello Sport. “I believed in him when he wasn’t even playing in the Primavera (Fiorentina’s academy), making him play immediately against Juve on the first day (of the 2016/17 season).
“The injury a few years ago changed his career. But, in Liverpool, he will make a real difference. He has an incredible talent.”
Italy ace adds further depth to Arne Slot’s attack
Chiesa proved that he can still be an exhilarating attacking force on his day during the 2024 edition of the European Championships. Italy were at their most fearsome when Chiesa was introduced off the bench as an impact sub, his ‘rapid’ pace a major outlet.
That may be the role he ends up fulfilling at Liverpool, with Mo Salah, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz likely to remain ahead of him in the pecking order.
“I’m happy for Chiesa,” West Ham legend Paulo Di Canio told Sky Italia last week. “He made us dream during the European Championships. I hoped he could become a champion and a key player for Juventus and Italy.
“Unfortunately, serious injuries and some recurring physical problems did not allow him to make a leap in quality in terms of knowledge or technical or tactical improvements in his game.
“But, in the end, he found a new opportunity at Liverpool.”
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