Federico Chiesa’s Liverpool nightmare could be over as soon as January with Arne Slot reportedly set to negotiate a swap deal for the Italian forward. The 27-year-old was considered a bargain signing when he arrived from Juventus in August, for an initial fee of £10million.
It followed a 2023/24 campaign where he appeared 37 times for Juve, scoring 10 goals and helping them to the Coppa Italia.
And given the star has also won 51 caps for his country, his experience and quality were considered major assets when he arrived at Anfield.
However, his time on Merseyside has thus far been plagued by form and fitness issues. He’s played just 78 minutes for the Reds, and only 18 of them have come in the Premier League in the 3-0 win over Bournemouth.
His only start has come in the Carabao Cup win over West Ham, where he was hooked off before the hour mark. And his omission from Saturday’s win over Brighton made it four successive matches where he has not been named in the squad.
And having not been on the field for the Reds since September 25, speculation is already mounting about a swift return to Italy. But rather than heading back to Turin, it’s Milan that looks his most likely destination.
According to MilanLive, the Rossoneri are tracking Chiesa’s situation closely. And the Italian media outlet has reported that a ‘sensational exchange’ deal is being lined up between the two clubs, with Tijjani Reijnders heading in the opposite direction.
Reijnders, 26, joined Milan from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2023, having impressed under Slot at the Dutch club. At the time he cited tactical reasons for moving to Milan rather than Barcelona, and played 50 times in his debut campaign with the club.
Despite the Reds sitting top of the table, Slot has made no secret about his desire to strengthen his midfield. Martin Zubimendi was a prime target in the summer, but he opted instead to remain at Real Sociedad.
The Dutch boss has already shown his ability to get the best out of his compatriots, with Ryan Gravenberch looking resurgent after struggling to make an impact in his debut campaign. Therefore, a reunion with Reijnders is likely to prove an enticing prospect for fans.
Reijnders did feature against Liverpool in the Champions League in September, a game Slot’s side won 3-1. It was also the night Chiesa made his debut for his current club, sent on in injury time for the dying seconds.