Italian giant Napoli has emerged as a potential suitor for Federico Chiesa- if the forward is to return to his homeland after a single season with Liverpool.
The former Juventus attacker has had to settle for a bit-part role under Arne Slot after heading to Anfield in a cut-price $16.5 million deal last summer. Across his first season with the Reds, the 51-time international has featured for just 387 minutes across 11 appearances in all competitions.
The 27-year-old has scored twice since joining the club with his most high-profile moment in a red shirt having come as he scored a consolation goal in a 2-1 defeat in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United. With just minutes remaining on the clock, the winger showed a flash of his qualities as he latched onto a through ball before beating Nick Pope from close range.
However, it remains to be seen whether Chiesa will be able to build on that moment in the closing weeks of the campaign. To date, the Italian has only featured three times in the Premier League, leading to some speculation over whether he will remain on Merseyside beyond the end of the campaign.
Now, Daniele Longo (via calciomercato.com) has reported that the ex-Juventus forward is attracting interest from Napoli heading into the summer. According to the outlet in his home country, Chiesa is admired by Antonio Conte, with the Neapolitan outfit most likely to be his destination if he is to head back to Italy in the coming months.
The report purports that the Liverpool forward also has a strong relationship with the Serie A club’s sporting director Giovanni Manna. Moreover, his current employers are said to be open to the prospect of potentially loaning him out after what has been a stop-start first season in England for the attacker.
(Image: Getty Images)
Addressing the forward’s lack of game time heading into the Carabao Cup final, Reds head coach Slot explained: “That’s of course more difficult, because these players hardly train with the starters if you look at our schedule in the last three or four months.
“So if we play for example on Saturday and then we play on Tuesday again, then on Sunday the ones that played on Saturday only do a recovery session, so they’re not on the pitch. And then it’s the day before the game and it’s maybe 10, 15 minutes of tactics, where it’s more walking football than playing football. So there’s hardly ever a moment when they can compete with each other.
“But the day after the game I’m always outside, my assistants have great exercises and the players always show themselves in these moments.”
Slot added: “So those are moments to show where you are. If you’ve improved, yes or no, and if you come closer to the players that are starting – and of course, when they come in [off the bench]. I agree that for the ones that don’t start, it’s not an ideal world that we have so many games, that’s completely true.”
