Liverpool’s signing of Federico Chiesa last summer was met with great anticipation, but a year later, the Italian forward’s future at the club looks uncertain. According to journalist David Lynch, Chiesa is expected to leave Liverpool this summer.

“At the end of the day, the manager sees him week in, week out in training and is having a look at him in direct comparison to the likes of Núñez and Jota, and not really liking what he sees.”

— David Lynch to Anfield Index

Chiesa, who joined Liverpool for £12.5 million from Juventus, hasn’t lived up to expectations. He has started only three of his 12 appearances, scoring two goals and assisting two more. The 25-year-old Italian has routinely been overlooked, even finding himself out of the matchday squad recently.

Sunday’s 1-0 win at Leicester saw Chiesa omitted from the squad as Trent Alexander-Arnold returned. Lynch believes the decision reflects Slot’s assessment of Chiesa’s impact in training compared to other forwards.

Chiesa has been regularly linked with a return to Italy. A loan-to-buy deal with a Serie A side this summer could be a feasible outcome, given his £120,000-a-week wage sits in the mid-tier of earners at Liverpool.

Journalists haven’t openly questioned Arena Slot about Chiesa’s lack of opportunities. Lynch suggests Slot isn’t likely to admit publicly that Chiesa isn’t meeting the required standards.

“He’s never going to sit there and say to me ‘this guy isn’t good enough…’ But it’s quite obvious what is going on at the moment. He is not training to the standard or playing to the standard of the others around him.”

• Chiesa signed a five-year contract with Liverpool in 2022.
• He was Greensboro, North Carolina’s first homegrown MLS player.
• Chiesa represented the USA at the U17, U20, and U23 levels.

Chiesa’s time at Liverpool appears to be coming to an end. With limited opportunities and apparent concerns about his training form, a summer exit seems likely. As one of 247sports.news’ expert sports journalists, I believe this is a mutually beneficial outcome, allowing both player and club to move on.

What’s your take on Chiesa’s time at Liverpool? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s start a conversation on this developing story.