A day before the end of the transfer window, the 26-year-old Italian international was signed from Juventus for a fee that could reach £12 million.
RB Leipzig 0-1 Liverpool: Marco Rose press conference
For a European champion of proven class, it might well have fallen into the category of ‘opportunistic’ signings spoken about by the Reds’ new sporting director Richard Hughes earlier in the summer.
“When Richard Hughes called me and he said, ‘Do you want to join Liverpool?’ – and the coach called me – I said yes immediately because I know the history of this club, I know what it represents to the fans. So, I’m so happy and I can’t wait to get started,” Chiesa told the club website upon his unveiling.
RB Leipzig 0-1 Liverpool: Marco Rose press conference
For a European champion of proven class, it might well have fallen into the category of ‘opportunistic’ signings spoken about by the Reds’ new sporting director Richard Hughes earlier in the summer.
“When Richard Hughes called me and he said, ‘Do you want to join Liverpool?’ – and the coach called me – I said yes immediately because I know the history of this club, I know what it represents to the fans. So, I’m so happy and I can’t wait to get started,” Chiesa told the club website upon his unveiling.
Chiesa’s career going BACKWARDS
With only a year left on his Juve deal, and with the player and club at odds, Chiesa was listed as available and new coach Thiago Motta was content to work without him.
And while it initially seemed that Liverpool might have uncovered a Coutinho-esque moneyball signing, the truth is emerging instead that they have very much had their fingers burned. This looks less like an FSG stroke of genius and more like the irrational, big-name crapshoot that goes on down the East Lancs at Old Trafford.
Chiesa’s career looked like it was in need of rejuvenation. That hasn’t happened. It’s not even accurate to say it’s stagnated. It’s much worse than that. It’s gone backwards.
The former Fiorentina winger was lacking in match fitness when he signed and was subsequently left out of Luciano Spalletti’s Italy squad for the September fixtures.
And while he has attempted to work his way towards full match sharpness, Chiesa has only played an alarming 78 minutes across only three matches in all competitions since being signed. Chiesa has played only once in the Premier League – for 18 minutes at the end of a blowout against Bournemouth – and has only started one game.
That came against West Ham in the Carabao Cup where he did, in fairness, deliver an assist. But he lasted only 58 minutes and quite literally hasn’t been seen since.
