Chiesa’s Outlook on New Management
Federico Chiesa, the Liverpool forward, has expressed his desire for a “new chapter” at the club under new head coach Andoni Iraola. This follows what he described as a frustrating period under Arne Slot. Chiesa also suggested that Liverpool were fortunate to secure Champions League qualification last season.
The Italy international has been linked with a return to his home country this summer, having seen limited playing time during his two years at Anfield. Despite making 36 appearances for Slot last season, only five of these were starts. He started just one Premier League game last season.
Chiesa hopes that the change in head coach will bring a change in his fortunes at Liverpool. “It is always a fresh start at the beginning of the year,” said the 28-year-old, who scored in Liverpool’s 4-2 friendly defeat against Sunderland in Nashville. He added, “Maybe there have been too many fresh starts [for him]. But I don’t care, I am trying to do my best for this new manager.”
Chiesa mentioned that he felt ready for a larger role last season but acknowledged that it was the coach’s decision regarding his playing time. He stated, “Last year I felt ready for a bigger role, then it depended on the coach whether he wanted me to play or not. Of course I wanted to play more but it is what it is.”
Discussions and Future Ambitions
Chiesa confirmed that his conversations with Iraola have primarily focused on pressing and tactics, noting that Iraola positioned him as a striker against Sunderland. He has not yet discussed his long-term future with the Basque coach, who took over from Slot in June.
With two years remaining on his Liverpool contract, Chiesa’s priority is to demonstrate his capabilities to the new head coach rather than pursuing a move back to Serie A. Clubs like Como and his former team Juventus have been mentioned in connection with a potential transfer for the forward.
“Right now, at the moment, I am happy here at Liverpool,” Chiesa stated. “I love the club, I love the fans, I love everything. I am doing the best I can to have a chance here. And then we will see. At the minute, the only thing I am thinking about is Liverpool.”
Liverpool secured Champions League qualification on the final day of a challenging season in May. Chiesa believes this was not a cause for celebration for a club of Liverpool’s standing, emphasizing the need for improvement in the upcoming season. He remarked, “Liverpool deserves more. Two years ago, we were Premier League champions. Last year, we almost went out of the Champions League spots. We were battling for fifth, which was enough at the time but as we know usually only four go in. We were lucky.”
Chiesa also aims to regain his position in the national team, which is currently seeking a new head coach following their failure to qualify for the World Cup under Gennaro Gattuso. He has missed several recent national squad selections.
He explained that he had spoken with Gattuso multiple times but was not physically ready at the time. Despite an injury in March, he looks forward to playing for the national team again, having previously won the European Championship with them.
In the friendly against Sunderland, Chiesa not only scored but also created two chances for his teammates. He also made a tackle, a block, won a duel, and made a clearance off the line. Other goal scorers in the match included Kieran Morrison, Enzo Le Fee, Timur Tuterov, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Lewis Koumas.
Reports have linked Chiesa with a move away, with Nottingham Forest identified as a club that could offer him a significant role. Forest is reportedly unlikely to be deterred by salary demands. However, an exit from the City Ground would likely need to occur before such a signing could take place.
Chiesa previously told Gazzetta dello Sport in June, “I want to play and if I don’t find continuity in the Premier League I’ll need to find it elsewhere. This season just gone, I got next to no minutes. I’ll go to the U.S. for pre-season then I’ll talk to the club and Iraola and we’ll see.”
The 28-year-old attacker joined Liverpool from Juventus in a deal reported to be £12.5 million.
Source: theguardian.com
Sam Whitlock is a Sports News Writer at News-GB.org. He moved from local newspapers into digital sport. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Gloucestershire and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Gloucester, he plays amateur rugby and follows the fight game. “Clarity beats cleverness in breaking sport news.”