Federico Chiesa’s Liverpool Struggles: A Crisis Stemming from Richard Hughes’ Decisions
Federico Chiesa’s move to Liverpool was supposed to ignite a new chapter for both the player and the club. A European champion, Chiesa arrived at Anfield with much anticipation. But what has unfolded since his £12 million transfer from Juventus can only be described as a disaster—one that bears the fingerprints of Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes. For Liverpool, the decision to sign Chiesa is now being viewed by some as a blunder of significant proportions.
Chiesa’s Liverpool Arrival: Disappointing Start
When Federico Chiesa landed in Liverpool, the hope was that his signing would be an opportunistic masterstroke. Richard Hughes, the club’s sporting director, appeared confident that securing the services of the 26-year-old Italian could be transformative. Chiesa himself shared in the excitement, saying, “When Richard Hughes called me and he said, ‘Do you want to join Liverpool?’ – and the coach called me – I said yes immediately because I know the history of this club, I know what it represents to the fans. So, I’m so happy and I can’t wait to get started.” Yet, as events have unfolded, this optimism has all but evaporated.
The winger was added to the squad just before the close of the summer transfer window, a deal that seemed both low-risk and high-reward for Liverpool. With only a year left on his contract at Juventus, and after a period of tension with his former club, it looked like a shrewd move on Liverpool’s part to capitalise on the uncertainty surrounding his future. However, instead of breathing new life into Chiesa’s career, his move to Anfield has only exposed his limitations.
Chiesa’s Form: Career in Reverse
Upon signing, it quickly became clear that Federico Chiesa was not the player who had lit up European football during Euro 2020. Far from rediscovering his spark, Chiesa’s career has taken a sharp downward turn. What should have been a fresh start at Liverpool has turned into a saga of frustration and misfortune.
While his career appeared to need a boost following his knee injury in 2022, the opposite has occurred. Rather than moving forward or even stagnating, Chiesa’s trajectory at Liverpool has regressed. Hughes’ gamble on the Italian winger has backfired, and the player’s contribution has been minimal. Despite his impressive resume, Chiesa has found it difficult to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.
His match fitness has been a significant issue from day one. Despite hopes of becoming a key player, Chiesa has made just a handful of appearances—an alarming 78 minutes spread across three matches. In the Premier League, he has played only 18 minutes during a blowout victory against Bournemouth, hardly the impact signing that Liverpool fans had hoped for. His only start came in a Carabao Cup match against West Ham, where he managed to deliver an assist but was substituted after 58 minutes. Since then, Chiesa has largely been absent from Liverpool’s line-up.
Arne Slot’s Warning: Chiesa Struggles to Adapt
Liverpool manager Arne Slot’s comments ahead of the Champions League clash with Red Bull Leipzig only served to underline the growing concern surrounding Chiesa’s form and fitness. Speaking candidly about the player’s situation, Slot remarked, “With Federico, it’s a bit more simple; although it’s more difficult, but it’s a bit more simple to explain. He missed a complete pre-season, I said this many times, and going to a league where the intensity might even be higher than the Italian league.”
Slot pointed out that Chiesa’s lack of a proper pre-season has been a key factor in his struggles to match the intensity of the Premier League. “That has not so much to do with the Italian league or the Premier League, that has more to do with him missing a complete pre-season and that is so difficult for every player – when the games are constantly there – to build them up towards the levels we are at.”
This explanation highlights the core issue with Chiesa’s Liverpool stint—his inability to reach the physical and tactical demands of English football has left him isolated, both on and off the pitch. “It’s a big disappointment for him that he is going in and out of the training sessions all the time. I feel sorry for him,” Slot added. With the season progressing quickly, Chiesa’s chances of becoming a regular in the squad are fading fast.
Hopes Diminish as Chiesa Faces Uncertain Future
Federico Chiesa’s time at Liverpool has so far been marked by disappointment and frustration. Far from being the flying winger who terrorised defences during Euro 2020, Chiesa is now viewed as a player in decline. Reports from Italy paint a grim picture of his future, with speculation that Serie A giants like Milan, Inter, and Roma may offer him an escape route as early as January.
The Italian media has been unforgiving in its assessment of Chiesa’s form. According to an opinion piece in Calciomercato, “The former Juventus winger is unable to get out of the negative spiral he has been in for several years now.” These words highlight the sense of despair surrounding Chiesa’s performances, not just at Liverpool but stretching back to his final seasons at Juventus.
The loss of pace and sharpness that once defined his game has significantly diminished his value. Antonio Caliendo, the former agent of David Trezeguet and Roberto Baggio, was blunt in his assessment: “I was not surprised by the sale of Chiesa, who had enormous potential but his continuity put Juventus in a position to consider his sale precisely because Juventus cannot afford moments of stagnation.”
Richard Hughes’ Role in Liverpool’s Chiesa Problem
While Federico Chiesa’s struggles are undoubtedly due to personal and fitness issues, Liverpool’s management must shoulder some responsibility for this costly misstep. Richard Hughes, the club’s sporting director, was the architect of this transfer, and his decision is now coming under intense scrutiny. Hughes had hoped that Chiesa would offer valuable depth to a Liverpool squad increasingly reliant on Mohamed Salah. Instead, the burden on Salah has grown heavier.
Juventus, it seems, are the only winners from this transfer. They managed to offload a high-earning player who no longer fit into their plans while collecting a tidy sum in the process. Liverpool, on the other hand, are left wondering how this deal has gone so wrong so quickly.
As Liverpool seek to move past this transfer miscalculation, the focus will shift towards potential January signings. But for now, the shadow of this deal looms large, with Chiesa’s Liverpool career looking more like an expensive mistake than a shrewd acquisition.
