Liverpool flop belongs within the Rodgers period

By Editorial Team Last updated Dec 10, 2025

Has the ship already sailed? Will it ever occur for Federico Chiesa at Liverpool?

The forgotten man final season, the Italian winger has once more been moderately luckless this time round, having been unable to make use of the Mohamed Salah state of affairs to his profit this week.

Certainly, even with the Egyptian having been ignored for the journey to San Siro, Chiesa couldn’t pounce on that potential opening within the right-wing berth, having been compelled to overlook the assembly with Inter Milan by means of sickness.

Virtually midway by means of his second season at Anfield, the ex-Juventus man – signed for a discount £13m charge – stays certain to the periphery, that includes for simply 29 occasions throughout all competitions in complete.

Notable moments, like his essential ‘winner’ towards Bournemouth on the opening day, have seen the 28-year-old safe cult hero standing on Merseyside, though the jury is out on whether or not he can actually emerge from the shadows.

Newest on Federico Chiesa’s future

In reality, the Reds claimed Premier League glory final time period with out the impression of any new signing, with Chiesa – the one senior addition that summer time – having been restricted to simply six league outings all season.

Chiesa – PL File
Stat (*per sport)	24/25	25/26
Video games	6	10
Begins	1	0
Objectives	0	2
Assists	0	1
Large probabilities missed	1	1
Large probabilities created	0	1
Key passes*	0.3	0.1
Go accuracy*	93%	74%
Profitable dribbles*	0	0.1
Possession misplaced*	2.2	3.7
Stats by way of Sofascore

Ceaselessly missed by Slot in 2024/25, even elevated affect this time round has not altered his standing within the attacking pecking order, with all of his ten top-flight appearances coming from the bench.

The person who intervened to disclaim Wilson Isidor from securing a possible winner for Sunderland not too way back, there’s a will for Chiesa to do effectively, not least with choices not precisely brimming on the flanks.

That being mentioned, Slot – such is his neglect of the one-time Fiorentina star – seems to produce other concepts, such has been the winger’s restricted sport time, with a January exit nonetheless being mooted in accordance with latest studies.

As reported by The Athletic, the Euro 2020 hero is alleged to have a ‘variety of admirers’ with the winter window now looming, albeit with it mentioned to pose a possible ‘danger’ if Liverpool do let him depart, contemplating their comparatively small pool of attacking alternate options.

That mentioned, Chiesa himself might want to push for a transfer, ought to his standing not enhance, with studies final month suggesting that his agent was in talks over a doable swap, amid hopes of forcing his approach again into Italy’s plans forward of the World Cup qualifiers in March.

A need to depart could be no shock contemplating his lack of use over the past 18 months, with Liverpool maybe left to replicate on the knowledge of signing off on such a deal.

Federico Chiesa celebrates for Liverpool

That mentioned, Chiesa is not alone in that division…

Liverpool’s pointless signing belongs within the Rodgers period

As harsh as it could be, the minimal impression of Chiesa would drive anybody to return to the conclusion that he has been an virtually pointless signing, with Slot showcasing little urge for food at hand a daily function to the albeit injury-hit ahead.

Rightly or wrongly, ‘pointless’ often is the phrase that springs to thoughts at current concerning this summer time’s marquee signing, Alexander Isak, with the misfiring Swede once more trying off the tempo towards Inter.

Hooked on the 68-minute mark, having made simply 25 touches and registered only a solitary shot, the ex-Newcastle United man was once more largely a bystander to proceedings at San Siro, with the excuse of his lack of pre-season now starting to put on skinny.

With simply two targets in all competitions for his new aspect, following that controversial, club-record swap from St James’ Park, the 26-year-old has already entered catastrophe signing territory, with Slot and co in want of a drastic enchancment heading into 2026.

There may be additionally a way that, whereas depth is required, was this a transfer that FSG actually wanted to make, contemplating they’d already plucked Newcastle goal Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt?

Whereas Isak has toiled, the younger Frenchman has dazzled, scoring eight occasions already from simply 22 appearances, rubberstamping the idea that he ought to be the beginning striker.

As for Liverpool’s precise quantity 9, Isak seems like following within the footsteps of the notable switch misfires of the Brendan Rodgers period, echoing the post-Luis Suarez world that noticed the likes of Rickie Lambert, Mario Balotelli and Christian Benteke all flatter to deceive at Anfield.

The summer time of 2014, within the wake of Rodgers’ close to miss with regard to the title, was significantly egregious, with that centre-forward pairing of Lambert and Balotelli in the end scoring simply seven occasions between them throughout their forgettable, transient stays on Merseyside.

Maybe a greater comparability lies with Benteke although, signed a 12 months later, with the Belgian – like Isak at Newcastle – trying prolific within the Premier League at Aston Villa, having scored 49 targets in 101 video games for the Midlands aspect.

Simply ten in 42 would comply with beneath Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp.

It is likely to be too quickly to put in writing Isak off simply but, and throw him in with that trio of disastrous Rodgers signings, though on present proof, he’s trying just like the Benteke of 2015.