Liverpool star keen on return to home country, Reds ready to let player leave on loan: Reports
Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa is keen on a return to his home country Italy, according to Foot Mercato journalist Valentin Feuillette (via LFCTransferRoom on X). After struggling with injury concerns in his final years at Juventus, the 27-year-old made the switch to Anfield on a deal worth £10 million and add-ons.
However, his move to England was almost immediately hampered by injury. After partaking in a couple of games in late September, he suffered a muscle injury that kept him out of contention until early December. He has yet to play consistently for the Reds, managing just four games and providing one assist in all competitions. Those four games have seen him play a combined 123 minutes.
This struggle for playing time has inspired rumors about his wish to return to Italy, where he flourished at Fiorentina and Juventus while winning Euro 2020 with the national team. The report has claimed that Napoli are "in pole position for his signature", amongst other clubs.
However, Liverpool would prefer a loan deal, rather than a permanent transfer. According to the report, they would be willing to let him leave if the plan is for him to return and continue his career at Anfield.
Arne Slot speaks about contract situations of key players at Liverpool
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has responded to questions about the contract situations of some of the club's most important players. Captain Virgil van Dijk and vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold have contracts which will come to an end in about six months. The case is the same for talisman and club legend Mohamed Salah.
From January 1, the winter transfer window will open, and those three players are officially allowed to sign pre-contracts with other interested clubs. Unsurprisingly, Arne Slot was asked about this situation in his pre-match press conference ahead of their match against West Ham at the London Stadium on December 29. He said (via club website):
"If we would then probably it is not the moment for me to tell you now. But in general, I don’t talk about contract situations here and it would be a surprise if I was the one to announce that one of them had extended, that’s in a different moment. Keep asking because that’s your job but you’re probably not going to get an answer from me..."
Mohamed Salah has particularly been instrumental for Liverpool this season, scoring an impressive 19 goals and providing 115 assists in just 25 games in all competitions.
