Federico Chiesa exit latest as Liverpool consider January Serie A solution

Federico Chiesa appears to be moving towards the point where a January departure from Liverpool feels increasingly realistic, with Dean Jones of Flashscore reporting that a return to Serie A is emerging as a serious possibility.

The broad direction of travel is clear. Chiesa had reason to believe that Liverpool’s change in the dugout might offer him a fresh opportunity, particularly after a difficult spell for minutes since arriving from Juventus in 2024. Instead, under Andoni Iraola, the picture has become even harder for the Italy international. Despite recovering from a back issue weeks ago, his involvement has been minimal and his place in the attacking pecking order now looks extremely fragile.

Serie A clubs monitoring Chiesa situation

The report indicates that Lazio, Inter Milan and Roma are among the clubs with an interest in the 29-year-old, as Italian sides assess whether a move can be made in the winter window. Much may depend on the structure Liverpool would accept, with the terms of any exit likely to shape the level of concrete interest.

For player and club, there is obvious logic to that route. Chiesa remains a recognisable name in Italian football, and a return to familiar surroundings could offer the regular football that currently appears beyond him at Anfield. Liverpool, meanwhile, may reach the view that carrying a senior forward with almost no prospect of significant minutes serves little purpose across the second half of the campaign.

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Liverpool forward depth leaves little room

The most telling detail in all of this is not simply the low minute count, it is selection. Chiesa being left out of the squad against Arsenal despite being fit and available painted a stark picture of where he stands. Squad decisions often reveal more than public messaging, and this one suggested he has fallen a considerable distance behind the options Iraola currently trusts.

Liverpool’s attacking pool has become crowded. Summer additions Victor Munoz and Bradley Barcola have increased competition, while Lewis Koumas has clearly moved up the internal ladder. With Hugo Ekitike also expected back from injury, the pathway narrows further. In practical terms, Chiesa now looks some way from being a go-to option.

January transfer window could bring clarity

That does not automatically mean a deal is close, but it does make the coming weeks important. If Liverpool are open to discussions and the player is prepared to prioritise a move home, the ingredients are there for movement. Circumstances can always shift quickly, especially if injuries intervene, but as things stand the current situation feels increasingly unsustainable.

There is a sense of disappointment around how it has unfolded. Chiesa arrived with pedigree and the hope that he could make a meaningful impact in Liverpool’s forward line. Instead, this now looks like a stay that may end quietly, with Serie A offering the clearest route to a reset for all parties.

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This is exactly the sort of situation that frustrates supporters because it feels avoidable from every angle. Chiesa has quality, experience and personality, yet Liverpool have somehow reached a stage where he is barely visible. If he is fit, use him. If he is not fancied, move him on properly. Letting a senior attacking player drift into irrelevance helps nobody.

What makes it worse is how quickly he seems to have been written off. Form dips happen, injuries happen, managers have preferences, but two minutes under the new head coach after returning to fitness is brutal. Leaving him out entirely against Arsenal only underlined the point. It is hard to argue there is any real plan for him now.

There is also a wider concern here about squad management. Liverpool need competition, depth and options across a long season. If a player of Chiesa’s profile is effectively eighth-choice, then the club have created an imbalance. That might look fine on paper until injuries pile up or form swings.

If Serie A is the solution, then get on with it in January and make it clean. There is no value in dragging this through another six months of cameos and bench omissions. Chiesa deserves better than that, and Liverpool should be sharper than this when handling a player who arrived with genuine expectation.