Liverpool have been approached about the availability of one of their attackers who’s been identified as an alternative to an Arsenal backup by Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.
The transfer window is still open in Turkey, so Premier League clubs can still sell players in that direction, despite being unable to make any signings of their own other than free agents at this stage. It presents a late opportunity for unsettled players to secure an escape.
For example, Besiktas have supposedly tried their luck for Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard, who may have fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium after the addition of Eberechi Eze.
But after Romano ruled out the chances of Besiktas taking Trossard away, the reporter has revealed how the Istanbul-based side have turned their focus to Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa.
Chiesa was trusted with minimal minutes by Arne Slot during his first season as a Liverpool player after joining from Juventus, but scored on the opening day of their Premier League title defence in August.
While that was enough to give him some self-belief that he may still have a Liverpool career to salvage, he has since come back down to earth after being left out of their Champions League squad list – and the Italy squad for the current international break.
Now, Besiktas have tested the waters for Chiesa, as revealed by Romano.
“Besiktas also called for Federico Chiesa,” he said on his latest YouTube video.
“Besiktas, in the last 24-48 hours, tried to call for Federico Chiesa, to understand his situation at Liverpool.
“What I can tell you is that Liverpool are not letting Federico go on loan. At the moment, negotiations are not advanced. It’s not something really concrete or advanced.
“But they made a call also for Federico Chiesa, so let’s say that Besiktas are looking for that position on the market and they could be one to watch, because they are prepared to invest money, to understand what kind of opportunities there could be…
“For sure they are attacking the market, looking for opportunities at winger position, so that is going to be something interesting.”
Could Chiesa take on Turkish challenge?
Chiesa remains under contract with Liverpool until 2028, but still with only one Premier League start to his name, may have to consider his future in January if he wants to rescue his chances of going to the World Cup (should Italy end their unfortunate streak of failing to qualify).
Besiktas could provide him with an option even earlier than that, but they would have to submit an offer for a permanent move for Liverpool to consider giving the green light.
Chiesa’s own stance on a potential move to the Turkish Super Lig remains unclear, but it has been a landing spot for several of his compatriots in recent years, including Mario Balotelli, Leonardo Bonucci, Ciro Immobile and Nicolo Zaniolo.
If Chiesa was to go to Besiktas, he would join a club in transition after the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was replaced by returning manager Sergen Yalcin.
Besiktas have also recently released another former Liverpool player, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Chiesa’s primary task for his suitors would be to help create chances for their new striker Tammy Abraham, formerly of Chelsea, and ease the goalscoring burden on the ex-England international.
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Reports in Spain have also hinted at a Real Madrid push to prise rising star Rio Ngumoha away from Liverpool in the future.