Chiesa signing is low-risk, high reward

The Italian forward is set to sign a 4-year contract in a deal expected to be around £11 million.

In typical stealthy fashion, Edwards seems to have once again brought a player to Anfield without many people knowing about it. This time it is 26-year-old Federico Chiesa, perhaps best-known for his electric displays at the 2021 European Championship.

Also true to the Edwards way, the transfer is expected to cost just £11 million, a staggeringly low price for a player that was in such high demand only two seasons ago.

Chiesa enjoyed a modest season with Juventus this year, scoring 10 goals and bagging 3 assists. While unspectacular, it was an improvement on the season before, which saw him sidelined for much of the campaign, missing 31 games. Unfortunately, this was not unfamiliar territory for the Italian.

Matches missed through injury for club and country

Statistics via Transfermarkt

Since signing for Juventus in 2020, Chiesa has missed 89 matches for club and country, with a large percentage of those absences caused by a cruciate ligament tear he suffered in 2021, a notoriously difficult injury to recover from.

These injury fears, however, are lessened by role that Chiesa is likely to have in the squad. The forward has been brought in to rotate with, and be a backup for, Salah. The squad has been searching for an understudy to the Egyptian for a while, with Doak set to go out on loan (according to Paul Joyce), Gordon failing to impress and Elliott preferring to play in attacking midfield.

Chiesa's positional flexibility will, in fact, allow him to act as backup across the front three. Statistics from Transfermarkt show that the forward has experience in both wide positions and also playing down the middle.

Games played in different positions

Statistics via Transfermarkt

In this department, Liverpool are signing a versatile, flexible player that can rotate with any of Salah, Jota, Gakpo, Díaz and Núñez. If Chiesa's injury woes continue, it will not greatly impact the squad.

The most accurate comparison that can be drawn with a previous player is perhaps Shaqiri. Signed for £2 million more than Chiesa, the Swiss international was seldom a starter, but played a huge role in Liverpool's success.

He clocked the best minutes to assist ratio for Liverpool since 1992, and contributed massively to the famed comeback against Barcelona in 2019. If Chiesa has similar success during his time at Anfield, the £11 million fee will be worth its weight in gold.