Football
Exclusive: Federico Chiesa Loan Exit on Cards as Fulham and Celtic Join Race for Liverpool Winger
West Ham and Celtic eyeing Liverpool and Italy winger Federico Chiesa on loan. Despite interest from Atalanta, Chiesa may leave to secure regular football. The 27-year-old Euro 2020 winner is part of Liverpool's long-term plans but may go on loan due to limited playing time.
Liverpool FC v Ipswich Town FC - Premier League by Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport | Getty Images
Fulham and Celtic are both interested in signing Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa on loan, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
But the Cottagers and the Hoops face a real battle for the 27-year-old’s signature with Italian outfit Atalanta keen to do a deal.
European Championship winner Chiesa knows he cannot be guaranteed regular football at Anfield this season, especially with boss Arne Slot having strengthened his squad with a raft of new signings ahead of their Premier League title-defence.
And our sources understand both Fulham and Celtic have had scouts watching the winger for some time and have been monitoring his situation on Merseyside.
Liverpool only signed Italy international Chiesa on a long-term deal worth £10million plus £2.5million in add-ons.
But the club are happy to let the 51-cap international, who famously won Euro 2020 with his country, could leave on loan to get regular football.
Sources at Anfield have indicated Chiesa, twice a Coppa Italia winner, is still part of the club’s long-term ambitions, but with a squad packed with international quality, the former Juventus and Fiorentina ace will have to bide his time before getting his chance with the Reds.
Chiesa played just six league games last season for Slot’s, but the Dutchman has plenty of options in his position at his disposal.
The wanted winger scored for the Reds as they hammered Championship side Stoke City 5-0 in pre-season at the AXA Training Centre earlier this month.
INJURY ISSUE
However, the Italian picked up a muscle injury which meant he has been forced to miss the club’s tour of Asia.
Last season Chiesa, who has played a total of 14 games for the club since his arrival little under 12 months ago, earnt himself a Premier League winners’ medal and EFL Cup runner-up medal despite his handful of games last term.
But the winger is happy to fight for his place and wait for his chance to try and break into the first team on a regular basis.
Chiesa started his career with Fiorentina and played 137 games in Serie A before a loan move to Juventus led to a permanent move to the Allianz Stadium.
He scored 32 goals in 131 appearances across four seasons for the La Vecchia Signora before Liverpool signed him in August 2024.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.