The Italian winger, once a standout at Juventus, has struggled to cement his place under Arne Slot. Despite joining the Reds with high expectations, Chiesa has endured a frustrating debut season on Merseyside, marked by limited minutes, inconsistency, and questions over his fitness.
Chiesa was left out of the squad altogether in Liverpool’s recent match against Arsenal. It’s a pattern that has become all too familiar. More often than not, he’s found himself on the bench or missing from the matchday list entirely.
Slot has remained tight-lipped about Chiesa’s situation, but actions speak louder than words. “There have been opportunities to use him more, but the manager has clearly opted for other options,” noted a source close to the club, who asked not to be named as they were not authorised to speak publicly.
The 27-year-old arrived from Juventus with an impressive résumé — 55 goals and assists in 131 appearances — and brought with him a sense of excitement. But in England, things haven’t clicked.
His performances have been sporadic. Fitness, too, has been a lingering issue, with staff reportedly concerned about his ability to maintain full match sharpness. Unless he shows major improvement in pre-season — both on the pitch and in training — it’s unclear whether he will even be at the club come the new campaign.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are already moving pieces around in their attacking line-up. Luis Díaz is set to join Bayern Munich in a £65 million deal, opening up a space on the wing. But there’s no indication yet that Chiesa will fill it.
“Chiesa has the talent, no doubt,” said former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy on talkSPORT. “But he needs rhythm, and if he’s not playing, it’s hard to build any form. Right now, I don’t see him as a starter at Liverpool.”
Reports suggest the club would be open to offers if the right bid arrives this summer. Serie A remains Chiesa’s preferred destination should he move on, with clubs in Italy said to be monitoring the situation closely.
It’s a far cry from the excitement that surrounded his arrival. For Chiesa to turn things around at Anfield, he’ll need to hit the ground running in pre-season — both in terms of performance and availability.
Otherwise, what once looked like a promising move could soon be remembered as a gamble that didn’t pay off.
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