Commisso: ‘Chiesa joined Liverpool for 12m. Who did good business?’ | OneFootball

Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso insists he did ‘good business’ by selling Federico Chiesa to Juventus for nearly €60m in 2020, as the Italian winger has now joined Liverpool for just €12m.

Chiesa joined Liverpool on a permanent deal from Juventus last summer. The former Viola star had less than a year left in his contract with the Bianconeri, who pushed to sell him to avoid losing him as a free agent next year.

Fiorentina fans are unhappy that their best players have all been sold to Juventus over the last few years: Chiesa in 2020, Dusan Vlahovic in January 2022, and Nico Gonzalez last summer. However, Commisso has no regrets.

“Well, what should I do if they [Juventus] are the only team that comes with the money?” he said.

Commisso: ‘Chiesa joined Liverpool for 12m. Who did good business?’

“We made a great deal with Vlahovic, the most important in my five years. And look at Chiesa: I read that he joined Liverpool for €12m. I had sold him for nearly €60m. Who did good business there, the others or Rocco?”

Chiesa failed to justify his price tag in Turin while Vlahovic is having highs and lows, but Commisso is not satisfied to see his ex-stars struggle.

“No, not at all,” he confessed.

“They made decisions, and we earned as much money as we could. I wanted Vlahovic to stay, but reaching an agreement with his agent was impossible. Chiesa had already been sold to Juventus when I arrived [in 2019], but I kept him. He wanted to leave, and I promised we’d sell him the following season, but under our conditions.”

Fiorentina have hired a new coach, Raffaele Palladino, but results have been inconsistent so far this season. Is Commisso confident ahead of the new season?

“We signed 11 players, an entire team,” he insisted.

“Give time to Palladino. I’ve always said the target is to do better than the previous year. We finished eighth, and we want to go further. I think Fiorentina are stronger than last year, with a mix of young and experienced players joining a solid base. Now, they must understand the methods of a new coach, but I am confident.”