Exclusive: Which club Federico Chiesa is open to joining if he leaves Liverpool this summer
Federico Chiesa continues to face an uncertain future less than 10 months on from joining Liverpool.
The Anfield hierarchy are willing to entertain offers for the Italian forward this summer (The Athletic), and some insiders have claimed that Arne Slot would give the green light to a possible sale if a satisfactory offer comes in for the 27-year-old (Football Insider).
The Reds’ number 14 could have his pick of clubs if he were to seek an exit from Merseyside in the coming months, with Real Betis and a few teams from Serie A reportedly interested in snapping him up, and it’s now emerged that one destination in particular may be to his liking.
Which club is Chiesa keen to join this summer?
According to sources close to Empire of the Kop, Chiesa would desire a return to Italy this summer in search of more regular game-time, having played just 466 minutes for Liverpool in his first season in England.
The 27-year-old is open to joining Napoli and the interest is mutual, with both clubs understood to be in talks over a possible transfer for the ex-Juventus forward, who’s also admired by Fiorentina and AC Milan.
While he’d be amenable to signing for the Serie A champions, he doesn’t want to finalise his decision until he’s had further discussions with the Anfield hierarchy.
Would Chiesa enjoy more game-time at Napoli next season?
Could Chiesa conceivably depart one winner of a major European league in 2024/25 for another in the next couple of months?
The 27-year-old found Mo Salah too prolific an obstacle to dislodge in Liverpool’s starting XI, and Antonio Conte has a few right-sided attackers in his squad already. However, none of them scored more than three goals last season, so it’s understandable that Napoli might be seeking an upgrade.
The Reds’ number 14 is a wonderfully versatile player who can also operate on the left or as a second striker, positions where Gli Azzurri don’t have much depth at present, so perhaps his appetite for increased game-time could be sated in one of those roles.
Similar to Andy Robertson, Chiesa isn’t rushing into a decision over his immediate future and – if he’s to leave Anfield – he wants to do so in a respectful manner.
We can’t blame him for wanting to play a lot more regularly than he did in 2024/25, but we’d hate to see him moving on from Liverpool after only a year at the club. Hopefully he can be persuaded to stay for at least another season and, if he’s still struggling for game-time, perhaps then all parties can reassess.
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