Mohamed Salah’s future has been the most talked about topic this week, and it will undoubtedly influence Liverpool’s transfer objectives in the near future.
Despite an astonishing $187 million (£150 million/€175 million) offer from Al Ittihad, the Reds were able to maintain their treasured possession. Nobody believes the interest in Salah will end there, and Jürgen Klopp will undoubtedly need to recruit a replacement within the next 12 months.
Given Salah’s contributions to Liverpool over the years, however, it will be an almost impossible feat, and there are no clear heirs at this time.
Surprisingly, one name appeared heavily throughout the summer’s transfer speculations, even before the possibility of Salah’s exit arose.
Federico Chiesa’s name was constantly linked with a move to Anfield. At one point, Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Paisley Gates) reported that the player’s agents had come to England to begin talks with the Reds, amid reports of a $43 million (£34 million/€40 million) transfer.
The recurrence of those speculations may lead some to believe Chiesa may be considered to succeed Salah if and when the Egyptian moves on to Saudi Arabia. Liverpool, on the other hand, has been sent a reminder of why this should not be the case.
Chiesa has been forced to withdraw from Italy’s squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against North Macedonia and Ukraine due to an injury sustained in training (according to Football Italia).
This will come as no surprise to anyone who has watched Chiesa’s career.
According to Transfermarkt, the 25-year-old has missed 80 games for club and country since joining Juventus in 2020. It’s an injury record that should deter Liverpool from making a transfer.
The Reds have experienced their fair share of injury woes in recent years. That unhappiness no likely played a role in the departures of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keta this summer, and would have been a factor in the club signing players with good injury histories like Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Finding a replacement for Salah will be difficult, but Liverpool cannot afford to be tempted by the possibility of Chiesa’s availability, regardless of the price. It’s simply a dangerous gamble.