Antonio Conte Has Specific Reason To Want Federico Chiesa On Loan | OneFootball

Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images

Napoli coach Antonio Conte wants Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa on loan first because he wants to assess what physical shape he is in.

The 27-year-old joined Liverpool last summer from Juventus on a cut-price deal, but the move has not worked for both parties yet.

Chiesa struggled with muscle injuries and fitness issues in the early part of the season and he made only six Premier League appearances for Liverpool.

The Italian forward wants to get into Italy’s 2026 World Cup squad and he has been told by new Azzurri boss Gennaro Gattuso that he must be playing regularly.

Several Italian outfits have shown interest in taking the winger back to Serie A, and Napoli are one of them.

Liverpool are suggested to want €10m to let the winger move on and are not keen on loaning him out.

However, Napoli are insisting on taking Chiesa on loan with an option to make his move permanent next summer if they want to.

According to Italian journalist Armando Areniello, Napoli boss Conte wants to assess Chiesa’s physical condition by taking him on loan first.

Napoli do not want to risk paying Liverpool’s asking price for an outright transfer for a player whose fitness they are uncertain of.

The Italian champions are also keen on signing Darwin Nunez, as they have already received the green light from the Uruguayan international and will have agree to a deal with Liverpool.

Now it remains to be seen whether Napoli will be able to strike deals with the Merseyside outfit for both Chiesa and Nunez in the ongoing window.