Liverpool in talks over Federico Chiesa transfer with Napoli as Italy winger pushes for an end to miserable six-month spell at Anfield

According to FootMercato, Napoli are keen on Chiesa are are expected to make an offer to take the Italian winger on loan for the remainder of the season. Liverpool are claimed to have already agreed to letting him go temporarily, with the idea of taking him back ahead of 2025-26, following a meeting between the club and agent Fali Ramadani. Contact has since been established with coach Antonio Conte and president Aurelio De Laurentiis at Napoli.

Chiesa was Liverpool's only signing of the summer following Jurgen Klopp's departure, joining from Juventus for an initial £10 million ($12.4m). He had previously been one of the stars of Italy's Euro 2020 triumph, but suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the start of 2022 and has continued to struggle with fitness issues. That may explain why Juventus were willing to take such a substantial loss only two years after signing him permanently.

A muscle injury that ruled the 27-year-old out for two months earlier in the campaign has been primarily responsible for limiting him to just 123 minutes spanning four appearances in Liverpool colours.

"With Federico, I've said it many times already, we are working on two things," Liverpool boss Arne Slot reasoned when Chiesa was left out of the machday squad to face West Ham last weekend. "We are working on his match fitness and whenever we can we try to bring him with the team. He was on the bench during the week and we thought it was better for him to have some extra training sessions instead of joining us. It's the constant balance we have to find between getting him fitter and letting him join the team."

Liverpool wouldn't miss Chiesa in the second half of the season given how little he has played for the club so far and how well they have done across multiple competitions. But in a scenario where Mohamed Salah could feasibly leave Anfield at the end of the season, it makes sense to put Chiesa into an environment where he he regain fitness and confidence so that he can return to Liverpool next season a different player.