Few players have had as frustrating Liverpool careers as Federico Chiesa in recent years.
Having been brought in as Arne Slot’s only signing during the summer of 2024, there had been hope that the Italian could prove to be a shrewd addition at only £12m.
In many ways, he has been, helping Liverpool along to a Premier League title triumph and providing a handful of memorable moments.
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But despite his popularity with the fanbase, Chiesa has never managed to win Slot over. Two Premier League starts in two seasons is a dire statistic, and it is no surprise to hear that Chiesa will look for a move back to Italy once the summer transfer window opens.
While many supporters have made their minds up that he is not good enough for Liverpool and will have no problem seeing him leave, dig a little deeper and there is actually a very compelling argument for Chiesa to stay.
Liverpool need more attacking depth, not less
As was the case when he stayed against the odds last summer, Liverpool are likely to make plenty of changes in their attack this year.
Mohamed Salah will leave, while Hugo Ekitike is set for a long spell on the sidelines. Take Chiesa out as well, and that leaves Cody Gakpo, Alexander Isak and Rio Ngumoha. Maybe Jeremie Frimpong if we’re being kind.
Although Liverpool are reportedly planning to add two new wingers, this may still not be enough to go into 2026/27 with.
In Isak they have only one, injury-prone central option, while there is a dearth of left-sided wide players as well. Chiesa can fill both of these roles, and while he is not at the level many would want, he is nowhere near as bad as some like to make out.
Any successful team needs strength in depth, and with the right players starting more often than not, Chiesa can still provide that for Liverpool. Between the limits of his first season and the disastrous nature of his second, we have not yet seen that in full effect.
And with so many changes occurring in the forward line, some kind of continuity should be encouraged. Liverpool need more depth, not less of it, and if he is okay with keeping the same role as he moves into his late 20s, it is unlikely that the Reds will find a better option than Chiesa to fill that remit.
Chiesa could still come to life under a different manager
Given the lack of consistent chances he has been given at Liverpool, it is impossible to say whether Chiesa could actually be much more than a back-up at the club.
Slot just does not fancy him, and while it has sometimes been clear why, every player needs some kind of rhythm to show their best selves. Chiesa has never had that.
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For now, it looks most likely that Slot will stay in charge for the beginning of the season. But if Chiesa can bide his time, there is every chance that the Dutchman loses his job midway through the campaign.
From there, the No. 14 can establish himself in a bigger role under a new coach. Maybe that is exactly what he needs to come back to life.
It is understandable that Chiesa has had enough of his role under Slot and needs to head somewhere for greater playing time. But if the head coach is indeed the biggest issue here, then next year could be the year when he is removed, leaving Liverpool with an asset that they have not yet properly used.
If he wants to go and is determined on that, then there will not be a great deal the Reds can do here, but keeping their squad more intact and still banking on Chiesa showing more than he has so far would be the smart move here. There is no need to give themselves more work to do.
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