Just before the plane carrying Federico Chiesa to Liverpool touched down on Merseyside, he looked out the window and saw Anfield. The Italian promptly turned to his wife and said: “Put the song on – You’ll Never Walk Alone – because I want to imagine myself playing there and hearing the chant of the fans!”
Chiesa got to experience that very sensation just a few weeks later when he came on as a late substitute in the Premier League win over Bournemouth on September 21. Four days later, he started in front of the Kop for the first time, in the League Cup rout of West Ham, and the fans liked what they saw of an industrious but skilful winger, who was given a great ovation when he was withdrawn after an hour of play. Chiesa clearly wasn’t in peak physical condition but he unquestionably looked like an exciting addition to an already stellar forward line, a potential understudy for Mohamed Salah.
The problem is, though, that Chiesa hasn’t been seen since. And not because he’s been unable to force his way into Arne Slot’s squad. He just hasn’t been fit to feature, which has sparked speculation that the summer signing from Juventus could be allowed to leave Liverpool on loan less than six months after arriving…