After Slot exit: ‘Amazing’ Liverpool ace Van Dijk loves wants return to old club & it’s not Gakpo

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Empire of the Kop

·06 de junho de 2026

After Slot exit: ‘Amazing’ Liverpool ace Van Dijk loves wants return to old club & it’s not Gakpo

Federico Chiesa has openly admitted that he would ‘love to return’ to Juventus ‘one day’.

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The Italy international made it clear that he wouldn’t have left Juventus back in 2022, when the Reds picked up the attacker in a £12.5m package deal.

However, reports coming out of Italy now indicate that the 28-year-old could be offered an exit route out of Anfield this summer following Arne Slot’s sacking.

Federico Chiesa still thinks about Juventus return

In comments relayed on X (formerly Twitter) by Fabrizio Romano, the Liverpool forward reiterated his interest in an eventual return to Italian football.

⚪️⚫️ Federico Chiesa: “Juventus will always be in my heart, and I would love to return one day. I never discussed money with Juventus, and I never will — I would have never left Juventus”. “I was never offered a renewal. Thiago Motta and Giuntoli told me to find a new club”.
– sábado, 6 de junho de 2026

That wish could, of course, be granted sooner than Chiesa expects, given Como’s reported interest in nabbing the right-sided winger ahead of their debut campaign in the Champions League.

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Liverpool, it’s worth pointing out, will likely not be able to spend as freely as the prior summer transfer window. So we’d be far from surprised if names like the Italian’s are on the list to help raise funds ahead of another critical window.

Andoni Iraola will want to see what Chiesa offers Liverpool

We’ve often felt a bit sorry watching Federico Chiesa at Liverpool. The former Serie A star was limited to 527 minutes in his debut season at L4; a figure that only marginally improved the following term with 726 minutes amassed across all competitions.

Given the Italian’s ability to file out across the forward line, and with Cody Gakpo looking rather limited this term without Luis Diaz around to share minutes, we’ve been surprised that our No.14 has been so rarely relied upon.

While he could be entirely forgiven for wanting to call it quits, it’s worth bearing in mind that Andoni Iraola’s arrival could significantly change the dynamic.

Liverpool, it goes without saying, need wingers, need depth. Parting with Chiesa would leave us totally barren of options on the right flank and short of a positionally versatile forward to boot. Hardly an ideal exit for us if Iraola believes the Italian can serve a purpose moving forward.

We’d expect the club to still put its faith in a starting option ahead of the ex-Juventus star. But there’s no reason why Federico Chiesa shouldn’t enjoy a greater supply of minutes at Anfield going forward.

If it’s an arrangement that would suit him as well, of course.

A popular figure at Anfield

It goes without saying that the Anfield faithful have very much taken to Chiesa.

And the feeling appears to be very much mutual within the club itself, with Virgil van Dijk telling GOAL back in August: “Fede is an amazing character, he works so hard and has been unlucky with injuries but we are all here for him and we all know what kind of impact he could have.

“He’s a great character and we all love him, I think everyone can see that, and he’s loved by the fans, and to produce moments like he has [against Bournemouth] is something we all want to see.”

Hard-working, beloved by all who come into contact with him…

That might very well appeal to Andoni Iraola.