Federico Chiesa, the Liverpool forward, has expressed his desire for a “new chapter” at the club under new head coach Andoni Iraola. This comes after what he described as a frustrating period under former manager Arne Slot, during which he struggled for playing time at Anfield.
Chiesa, who has two years remaining on his Liverpool contract, has been linked with a return to Serie A this summer. Clubs such as Como and his former team Juventus have reportedly shown interest. However, the 28-year-old Italy international stated that his immediate priority is to prove himself to Iraola rather than pursue a move back to his home country.
A Fresh Start at Anfield
Chiesa views Iraola’s appointment as an opportunity for a fresh start. He highlighted his commitment to the club, saying, “Right now, at the moment, I am happy here at Liverpool. I love the club, I love the fans, I love everything. I am doing the best I can to have a chance here.” He added that his current focus is solely on Liverpool.
During Slot’s tenure, Chiesa made 36 appearances last season, but only five of those were starts. He started just one Premier League game despite the team’s attacking issues, including injuries to Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké. His last start came in the FA Cup fourth-round victory against Brighton on 14 February.
The forward reflected on his previous season, stating, “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. The gaffer had his gameplans, he took his decisions, I have nothing to say about that. It is football.”
Chiesa has not yet discussed his future or role with Iraola. He mentioned that their conversations have primarily focused on pressing and tactics. Notably, Iraola deployed him as a striker in Liverpool‘s recent 4-2 friendly win over Sunderland in Nashville, where Chiesa scored the team’s third goal. He acknowledged that while he has played most of his career as a winger, he is content to play as a striker.
Club Ambitions and National Team Hopes
The Italian also spoke about Liverpool‘s performance last season, which saw them secure Champions League qualification on the final day. He described this as a “troubled season” and insisted that merely qualifying for the Champions League was not a cause for celebration for a club of Liverpool‘s stature.
Chiesa believes the club deserves more, recalling that Liverpool were Premier League champions two seasons prior. He noted that the team was battling for fifth place last season and was “lucky” to secure a Champions League spot. He emphasized the need for improvement, not only in the Premier League but also in the Champions League, where they were eliminated by PSG.
Beyond his club aspirations, Chiesa hopes to regain his place in the national team. He has not added to his 51 caps for Italy since Euro 2024. He explained that he had spoken with former national team manager Gennaro Gattuso a few times, but he was not physically ready at the time. He also sustained an injury in March. With Italy now searching for a new head coach after failing to qualify for the World Cup, Chiesa is looking forward to playing for his national team again, having previously won the European Championship with them.
He joined Liverpool from Juventus in August 2024.
Source: theguardian.com
Leo Ashworth is a Sports News Writer at Latest News UK. He cut his teeth on regional sport before specialising in fast breaking-news writing. 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 Central Lancashire and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Newcastle, he follows the European Tour and boxes at an amateur gym. “Get it right first, then tell readers why it matters.”