Federico Chiesa: How Italy’s Euro 2020 hero went from Juventus superstar to Liverpool’s £11m Mohamed Salah back-up
GOALThe Italy winger's recent injury record is an undoubted cause for concern, but the Reds' low-risk gamble could pay off spectacularly
Federico Chiesa was just 22 when he inspired Italy to victory at Euro 2020. For a player coming off the back of a brilliant debut season at Juventus, superstardom beckoned. Alessio Tacchinardi was among those who tipped him to challenge for the Ballon d'Or "in three or four years".
Sadly, Chiesa's career has gone in a very different direction since then. The expected leader of the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era at Juventus was deemed surplus to requirements by new coach Thiago Motta and told to "find a new club as soon as possible", with the Bianconeri board keen to cash in on a player that had just one year left on his contract.
Indeed, so desperate were Juve to get rid of their €60 million (£50m/$67m) signing from Fiorentina in 2020 that they were willing to get rid of him for less than a quarter of that fee. Remarkably, Chiesa had very few suitors – at least among Europe's elite – with many clubs seemingly put off by his recent injury record.
However, with less than 48 hours to go before the close of the summer transfer window, Liverpool have agreed to sign Chiesa for just £11 million ($14.5m). It's a surprising move, and a strange one in some ways, but it could also prove the signing of the season…
