Ignore the rumours: Liverpool have SURPRISE plan for star to stay

You should apparently ignore the transfer rumours. Liverpool are actually planning for one star to stay at the club.

Federico Chiesa has had a bizarre time of it since joining Liverpool back in August. He arrived with quite a lot of hype - the Reds appeared to have made the ultimate moneyball signing.

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Here was an Italian international who had lit up Euro 2020 (in 2021) just three years prior. A one-time €100m player who Liverpool picked up for just €15m, purely because he didn’t fit into the plans at Juventus.

It honestly felt like the best business the club had done in a few years. A signing that couldn’t really fail, given Chiesa’s injury concerns weren’t actually all that concerning.

And yet, it’s been an incredibly strange season. Chiesa hasn’t really contributed, barely playing 30 Premier League minutes across the entire campaign.

Arne Slot just doesn’t appear to fancy him, so the Italian sits on the bench at best. What makes it all the more strange is that he has actually looked good when he plays.

Chiesa’s cameo in the Carabao Cup final saw him look like Liverpool’s best player, quite honestly. He even scored the Reds’ goal.

And yet he’s only played eight minutes since scoring that goal. Those came in a 3-2 defeat at Fulham last month.

There has quite honestly never been a Liverpool player who looked more destined for the exit door.

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Federico Chiesa might stay

It’s all a massive surprise, then, to read that Chiesa could stay. Liverpool supposedly have no real ambition to force him out, even with plenty of interest there.

That’s according to the Athletic, who claim Chiesa won’t be pushed out. We assume that’s an accurate claim and it’s quite amazing to read, in all honesty.

There doesn’t seem to be much of a chance for Chiesa to play next season if he isn’t fancied this time around. For one, Liverpool plan on boosting their attacking options over the summer with players Slot actually wants.

That will naturally push the Italian further down the pecking order. Or at least it would if it were possible to fall any lower. Chiesa is quite clearly at the bottom.

And so we imagine this might simply be Liverpool’s public stance. As in, the one they want all clubs to read about before they may their offers for Chiesa this summer.

It doesn’t really benefit the Reds for everyone to know they’re eager sellers, after all. That simply weakens their negotiating position significantly.

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We still expect Chiesa to leave, then. Maybe that’s only on loan or maybe it’s permanently for a small profit. It would genuinely be one of the biggest shocks of the year if Liverpool opted to keep him.