Liverpool attacker ‘almost certainly’ leaving and five more have ‘uncertain futures’
A trusted source on all things Liverpool has declared Federico Chiesa is all but guaranteed to leave Anfield this summer, and there’s five other big names who could follow the Italian out.
Chiesa became the first signing in the Arne Slot era, though ironically, he’s one of the Dutchman’s least used players.
The 28-year-old cost a modest £10m (prior to add-ons) fee when arriving from Juventus and was widely viewed as a low risk, high reward addition.
Unfortunately, injuries and fitness issues have plagued his time at Anfield so far, and even when available for selection, the call has rarely come from Slot.
Chiesa has been persistently linked with returning to Italy in each of the previous two transfer windows. According to the latest from the Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele, it’ll be third time lucky at season’s end.
Steele, who is the Mail’s Merseyside correspondent and specialises in covering the Reds, declared: ‘Federico Chiesa will almost certainly depart’.
Liverpool will collect a fee if/when cashing in given Chiesa remains under contract until 2028. Though factoring in his advancing age, chequered injury record and minimal impact over the past two years, the sum won’t be a large one.
Chiesa might not be the only winger leaving Liverpool in the summer, with Steele naming Mohamed Salah as one of five more high profile figures who could follow the Italian out.
Salah remains a key target for the Saudi Pro League and the Egyptian’s drop-off this term suggests the time for an emotional parting of the ways may have come.
The others cited by Steele who face ‘uncertain futures’ heading into the summer are Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate, Arne Slot and Richard Hughes.
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Robertson and Konate are both out of contract in the summer and as it stands, are heading towards exits via free agency.
Liverpool have been trying to tie Konate down to a new and improved deal since the autumn of 2024, and our colleagues over on TEAMtalk revealed their biggest offer yet was put to the centre-back earlier this month.
The uncertainty around Slot centres on Liverpool’s alarming struggles this season. Failure to qualify for the Champions League could prove fatal for his employment status at Anfield.
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Sporting director Richard Hughes is a confirmed target at Saudi Arabian side, Al-Hilal. Reports out of the middle east have gone big on claims Al-Hilal will land the Scot, though Steele wasn’t quite as quick to make that claim.
He concluded: ‘Hughes, the recruitment chief, has been linked with Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal this week. Those rumours are not new, it must be said.
‘Liverpool insist they have received no direct contact but the Gulf club have registered their interest with the Scot.
‘Why wouldn’t they? Despite what revisionist Reds fans may think now, they were all lauding him six months ago.
‘Tempting Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak to join in the same window, plus snatching Hugo Ekitike away from domestic rivals, should not be underestimated.
‘Hughes delivered the window that many Liverpool fans craved – save for maybe defensive depth and an extra wide man – and it was then up to Slot to make that squad gel.
‘Confidential has been told the Saudis are confident they can tempt Hughes to join. Simone Inzaghi is their manager and Hughes is fluent in Italian.
‘Many in Saudi believe he will soon be their man, though others back in Britain dispute this and say he is fully focused on Liverpool.’
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