Report: Federico Chiesa to snub ex-Man United manager; he has one clear transfer preference | OneFootball

It looks increasingly likely that Federico Chiesa will leave Liverpool after only one season, but the question as to where he ends up next is less clearcut.

The Reds signed the Italian forward from Juventus for an initial £10m last August (The Guardian) but, having had to battle through various fitness issues, he made just 14 appearances in his first year on Merseyside and was restricted to a single Premier League start (Transfermarkt).

He was a notable omission from LFC’s pre-season tour to the Far East and, as per Fabrizio Romano, his plan is to depart Anfield in search of more regular game-time.

Where could Chiesa go if he’s to leave Liverpool?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Chiesa has now made his transfer preference clear if he is to leave Liverpool, which he’s intending to do permanently rather than on loan.

Despite interest from the Saudi Pro League and Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce, the 27-year-old is set to snub the ex-Manchester United manager in favour of a return to Serie A, and more specifically a club where he ‘can return to prominence’ and benefit from a ‘top-level salary’.

(Photo by Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)

Atalanta, AS Roma, Napoli and AC Milan have all been linked with the Reds attacker, with the latter two believed to be more preferable to him given his previous association with their respective coaches (Antonio Conte and Max Allegri).

If Liverpool are to sell Chiesa, they hope to recoup €15m (£13m) for him, but they could accept a lower amount if they’re keen to offload him before the end of the summer transfer window.

Hard to stand in Chiesa’s way, but it’d be a shame to see him go

Even after the tragic death of Diogo Jota and the impending sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich, the Italian’s prospects of contending for regular minutes at Anfield seem bleak, with the 27-year-old being deprived of the opportunity to try and win over Arne Slot on the pre-season tour to Asia.

He’s one of just four senior attackers in the current squad; and even allowing for the versatility of Florian Wirtz, Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai, along with the potential megabucks acquisition of Alexander Isak, the Reds aren’t enormously stacked for options in the final third (in terms of quantity).

It mustn’t be forgotten either that Liverpool will be without Mo Salah over the festive period due to the Africa Cup of Nations, with the Egyptian embarking on international duty at one of the busiest times of the English club season.

From the Reds’ perspective, it’d certainly be preferable to hold onto Chiesa and give him another season to try and make up for lost time. If his heart is set on a return to Serie A, though, it could be difficult for LFC to stand in his way, especially if his chances of regular game-time on Merseyside are slim.

If our number 14 is to depart, let’s hope it’s for a club where he’ll be a frequent starter, and that it’s not one managed by a combustible ex-Man United boss!