Chiesa linked with Milan move as Slot makes Liverpool transfer stance clear | OneFootball

La Gazzetta dello Sport reiterates that Federico Chiesa is among Milan’s top transfer targets for next summer, while Liverpool coach Arne Slot admits the Italian winger ‘would deserve more playing time.’

Saturday’s printed edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport confirms Milan will be looking to Chiesa to strengthen their squad after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign.

The Rossoneri are expected to hire a new sporting director and coach, but club executives have already decided to build a team with a strong Italian core, so Chiesa is a natural fit, especially after a tough season at Liverpool.

Gazzetta also mentions Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini as an Italian target for Milan and previously claimed the Rossoneri were interested in Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie.

Chiesa has only made five Premier League appearances this season and hasn’t started any games in the competition.

Furthermore, Slot’s latest claims suggest that the Italian situation at Anfield will unlikely change in 2025-26.

What Liverpool coach Slot said about Chiesa

Federico Chiesa of Liverpool is seen during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 match between PSV Eindhoven and Liverpool FC at PSV Stadion on January 29, 2025 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

“In terms of the quality he has, he would deserve more playing time at this football club or the club he’s playing for, because he has the quality to play for us,” the Reds boss said at a press conference on Friday.

“But unfortunately for him, he’s in competition with Mo Salah when it’s about the right wing. And I think he could also play as a left winger but there’s Cody Gakpo and Lucho Diaz. I don’t think I’m wrong if I tell you that these three have had a great, great, great season. And for him starting one or two or maybe even three nil down because the moment he came in he was not as fit as the other players were.

“That then, of course, doesn’t help in the beginning and before he was as fit as the rest, the other ones did so well that there was not a lot of reason for me to change, and even to be in a squad then becomes difficult if Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota are there as well. But is he good enough to play for us? Yes, he is. I’ve always felt that Lucho Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Mo Salah deserved the confidence I had in them and I hardly ever changed that set-up between the three of them.”

Chiesa, 27, has scored two goals and provided two assists in 13 appearances across all competitions, collecting just 403 minutes on the pitch with Liverpool in 2024-25.