Liverpool head coach Arne Slot could look to bring in attacking reinforcements in January.placeholder image
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot could look to bring in attacking reinforcements in January. | AFP via Getty Images
Liverpool have a lot of injuries to contend with, but does this mean that Arne Slot is right to stop players leaving who he hasn't played?
One of the most confusing aspects of this season has been Arne Slot’s refusal to try something different when Liverpool were struggling in the final third.
Cody Gakpo seemed untouchable, the on-form Hugo Ekitike would be dropped for Alexander Isak and the Reds boss didn’t know where best to play Florian Wirtz. That last question has been answered and Ekitike has cemented his place as the best no.9 at the club, for now, and yet there are still questions about how more goals could be squeezed out of the forward line.
Will Liverpool let Federico Chiesa leave?
For much of the season, fans have demanded to see more of Federico Chiesa, a player who Slot said would get more game time, if he stayed fit. The Italian has held up his side of the bargain, but the Liverpool manager is yet to be a man of his word. To make matters worse, Slot doesn’t want to let Chiesa go either despite the former Juventus forward being willing to take a pay-cut and keen to secure more game time ahead of a possible World Cup.
According to James Horcastle, speaking on The Athletic FC podcast, it doesn’t look like his situation is going to improve anytime soon: “Yeah, it's a complicated one with Federico. I mean, there was speculation about his future last summer, particularly, as we all know, going into a World Cup year. He made such an impact off the bench in Liverpool's first game against Bournemouth.
“He is a fan favourite. I think he was, not just privately, he's spoken about this, a little bit embarrassed that he was known more for a song at Liverpool than for his performances. There's always going to be interest in Federico back home in Italy. From what we understand, I think it was in the deal sheet today, even since it's interesting bringing him back. But I think that's complicated because as David's (Ornstein) just mentioned, Mo Salah for now is still at AFCON. They've got injuries across the forward line, particularly with Isak.”
Is Arne Slot being cruel to Chiesa?
What doesn’t make sense is that Slot clearly doesn’t rate Chiesa, for whatever reason, but refuses to let him leave and sign for someone else either on loan or on a permanent deal. Liverpool will have a list of players who they want to add to their squad, why not just sell Chiesa, who didn’t cost a lost of money, and sign someone off that list. A player who would improve the quality of the squad and the options available to Slot.
Signing someone like Yan Diomande or Bradley Barcola now, or had they moved more decisively for Antoine Semenyo – which already looks like a painful mistake – would give them half a season to bed in, to get used to Anfield and the pressures of playing for Liverpool. It would also allow them to adapt to their teammates. Something that the summer overhaul and how long it has taken Wirtz to get up to speed, should be used as a lesson to be learnt.
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