Federico Chiesa will soon become a new Liverpool player for just €13m plus add-ons, reflecting his inconsistent time at Juventus, which was affected by a major injury and tactical misunderstandings.
“I am sorry, but at the same time, I am happy about this new adventure. My family and I can’t wait.” Italy international Chiesa was all smiles at Turin Caselle Airport on Wednesday morning when he was about to leave the Peninsula to complete a permanent transfer to Liverpool.
The chance of joining one of the biggest clubs in Europe after a depressing summer on the pitch surely is appealing for the Italian winger, but at the same time, there is a little bit of sadness as his spell at Juventus didn’t work out as he and the Bianconeri expected.
Chiesa joined Juventus from Fiorentina on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy in 2020. The transfer package was worth €50m plus €10m bonuses. One of the biggest deals in the club’s history for one of the most exciting Italian players of his generation.
An explosive winger with an eye for the goal who, less than a year later, would massively contribute to Italy’s EURO 2020 triumph with decisive goals against Austria and Spain and stunning performances that amazed Europe.
According to Corriere dello Sport, even Jurgen Klopp was among the admirers but saw a €100m bid rejected by Juventus in 2021.
Misunderstandings, injuries, contract: what didn’t work for Chiesa at Juventus
However, football and life can be cruel at times, and in January 2022, Chiesa sustained a cruciate ligament injury during a Serie A game against Roma. Chiesa returned to action the following November, and Juventus fans hoped the Italian would have been like a new signing for the Old Lady.
Unfortunately, the entire process was not as smooth.
Chiesa missed 16 more games that season due to minor muscle injuries, and when the 2023-24 campaign began, Juventus had a new tactical environment.
It is unfair to say that Chiesa hasn’t been fit over the last 12 months. He only missed 11 games for the Bianconeri, primarily for minor muscle issues, but other problems emerged, such as his inability to adapt to Allegri’s new 3-5-2 system.
The former Juventus boss used Chiesa as a support striker close to Dusan Vlahovic, but the Italian winger would often move towards the left flank during matches, frequently irritating his coach.
When Chiesa scored a brace as a left winger for Italy against North Macedonia in the EURO 2024 qualifiers in November 2023, even more questions were raised about his favourite position on the pitch. Nevertheless, Allegri didn’t change his mind, and neither did Fede, continuing to play mostly on the left despite the coach’s suggestions.
Off-the-pitch issues did the rest, deteriorating Chiesa’s rapport with the club. His contract in Turin would have expired in June 2025, but Juventus were unwilling to raise his €5m-a-year salary. Some Italian sources even suggest that the Bianconeri wanted to offer a lower wage to their star. There were frequent contacts between the Old Lady and Chiesa’s agent, Fali Ramadani, but, with time, it became increasingly evident that Juve and their winger were no longer suited to each other. In a message on Instagram, Chiesa clarified that he had never received a formal proposal from the club to extend.
It’s hardly surprising as talian media had started reporting that Chiesa was not part of Thiago Motta’s project weeks before Juventus appointed their new coach. Chiesa didn’t join the team for a pre-season retreat in Germany after the Euros and trained separately from the rest of the team for the whole summer, waiting for a new club.
Rumours circulated about Inter, Milan, and Roma, with reported direct contacts between Daniele De Rossi and Chiesa. However, the Italian winger had the ambition to play Champions League football, and his decision paid off as Barcelona and Liverpool approached Juventus in the final week of the summer transfer window.
Chiesa would have been a starter in Rome, but his reluctance to move to the capital convinced the Giallorossi to invest over €30m to sign his teammate Matias Soulé instead.
Now that Chiesa has obtained what he wants, including a better salary, he must work hard to move up the pecking order at Anfield.