Milan and Napoli Weigh Move for Forward as Liverpool Set Exit Terms | OneFootball

Chiesa Eyes Italy Return But Financial and Fitness Hurdles Remain

Permanent Exit on Liverpool’s Terms

Liverpool appear prepared to draw the curtain on Federico Chiesa’s Premier League stint, just twelve months after his move. The €15 million asking price may be softened as the deadline looms, though both club and player “intend to say goodbye permanently, ruling out a loan move.” Arne Slot is open to a clean break.

Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe are circling but Chiesa “has put a return to Serie A in Italy at the top of his list of priorities.” Report CalcioMercato He wants a project where he “can return to prominence, one that can guarantee him consistency and confidence. Plus, of course, a top-level salary.” That ambition is clear, but it comes with caveats.

Photo: IMAGO

Wages and Fitness Cast Doubt

Chiesa earns around “€7 million net in England, far too much for any Serie A club, even the top tier.” Any Italian return would need a significant salary cut, not just to satisfy club accountants, but also to mitigate risk. Clubs know what he can be, but also what he has become.

His medical history is not minor. “Anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in January 2022 and various muscular issues” have limited his impact. He is still only 27, but these setbacks “have slowed his definitive breakthrough.”

Interest Builds in Milan and Naples

If the finances align, Chiesa might yet prove a masterstroke. “His name has currently been linked to Atalanta, should Lookman leave, Roma, Napoli… and AC Milan.” Napoli’s need for a direct wide player after Ndoye’s exit and Milan’s familiarity via Allegri and Conte make them natural fits.

Still, AC Milan’s stance remains cool. “To whom he has been offered, are currently observing,” with a potential move “linked to the sales of Okafor and Chukwueze.” Chiesa’s Serie A homecoming is possible, but not yet priority.

Balancing Nostalgia and Pragmatism

Italian clubs must decide whether Chiesa is a romantic throwback or a realistic contributor. His ability, when fit, is unquestioned. “Chiesa has proven to be an added value, a top player.” But returning to that level, after years of inconsistency, is a high-stakes gamble.

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For a Juventus supporter, this is a gut punch wrapped in realism. Watching Federico Chiesa shine on international stages, especially during Euro 2020, felt like the beginning of something legendary. But since that fateful knee injury in 2022, it’s never been quite the same.

The idea of him returning to Italy, with “anterior cruciate ligament injury” and “various muscular issues” in his dossier, feels bittersweet. He still has that burst, that determination, but the body has betrayed the mind too often. Clubs like Milan and Napoli might see a cut-price bargain, but what they are really weighing is the emotional pull of what Chiesa was, not necessarily what he is.

“€7 million net in England” is absurd for Serie A’s financial reality. Unless Chiesa makes a sacrifice, or unless Milan’s hand is forced by selling Okafor or Chukwueze, we might not see this transfer happen. Liverpool’s willingness to let him go permanently adds weight to the idea that he is no longer part of a top-tier plan.

It hurts to admit, but unless Chiesa adapts quickly and stays fit, he might drift further from the player we all thought would define an era in black and white.