Federico Chiesa shrugs off his €75m price-tag, reveals he’d love to follow in his Dad’s footsteps by winning the Coppa Italia with Fiorentina and remembers Davide Astori.
The game with Napoli kicks off today at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.
The winger is only 21 years old, but already has 11 senior Italy caps and 85 Serie A appearances under his belt, prompting reports of a bidding war and €75m asking price.
Federico Chiesa shrugs off his €75m price-tag, reveals he’d love to follow in his Dad’s footsteps by winning the Coppa Italia with Fiorentina and remembers Davide Astori.
The game with Napoli kicks off today at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.
The winger is only 21 years old, but already has 11 senior Italy caps and 85 Serie A appearances under his belt, prompting reports of a bidding war and €75m asking price.
“It is a strange feeling if you think about it, but that is my secret, that I don’t consider the transfer market valuation at all. I just try to focus on doing well on the pitch,” Chiesa told La Gazzetta dello Sport magazine Sportweek.
“Fiorentina will be the ones to evaluate any offers, if they come in. I am only in my third season as a professional football player, so I’ve achieved nothing yet.”
He is the son of Parma, Lazio and Fiorentina striker Enrico Chiesa, so hopes to follow in his Dad’s footsteps.
“Fiorentina won the Coppa Italia in 2001, with Nuno Gomez and Enrico Chiesa upfront. It’d be wonderful to imitate Dad. I thank my parents for preparing me so well, including insisting that I learn English, as it comes in very handy when trying to communicate with foreign teammates. The Coach wants us to speak Italian in the locker room, but sometimes I act as a hidden translator.
“My parents had helped me to keep my education going parallel to the football career. I had a Plan B, which was to become a chemist or biologist. I have started a Physical Education degree at university, though I haven’t had much time to write the papers. I’ll do the next one during the pre-season training retreat.”
Chiesa was extremely close to Fiorentina captain Davide Astori, who died in his sleep almost a year ago in the team hotel ahead of a Serie A match against Udinese.
“If Davide was still here, I’d tell him, you know when you would come to give me advice during training retreats? You kept saying: ‘Fede, at times a simple, even banal, move can be the best solution for the team.’
“I would listen and stay silent. I just want to tell you, my Captain, that you were absolutely right.”