Federico Chiesa has already been praised by Daniel Sturridge, likened to Luis Suarez and even made Gianluigi Buffon contemplate retirement.
Liverpool have agreed a £10m charge plus £2.5m in add-ons with Juventus for the Italian winger and he’ll have the ability to full a transfer to Anfield topic to a profitable medical.
Regardless of there being some qualms about his harm document, Liverpool will really feel they might have pulled off an thrilling switch for a participant who has been on the membership’s radar for a while.
Many within the soccer world will agree.
The Euro 2020 winner has earned reward from the aforementioned Sturridge in addition to Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand. He’s additionally been likened to icons like Gareth Bale and Liverpool hero Suarez prior to now.
Daniel Sturridge reward for Chiesa
Taking to his X account, former Liverpool striker Sturridge was one of many first among the many ex-professionals to reward the Reds’ transfer for Chiesa describing it as a ‘prime tier’ signing.
Chiesa to Liverpool is a prime tier signing. Actually good 1v1 , tempo , tenacious and may end. Genuinely shocked on the price ticket,. Mike and Jools strike once more lol… pic.twitter.com/cRXmx7F0xn
— Daniel Sturridge (@DanielSturridge) August 28, 2024
He’s not the one former Liverpool participant to have spoken extremely of the Italian prior to now. Cole, who additionally performed for Chelsea and West Ham, as soon as likened Chiesa to Suarez on BT Sport (now TNT).
“The most important attribute he’s bought is he performs with a humility. He’s hustling and bustling like a younger Luis Suarez character, he could make one thing out of nothing.” Cole mentioned again in 2021.
“Each membership in Europe will desire a slice of him when he develop into accessible.”
Throughout the identical dialogue, Ferdinand added that he thought different prime groups within the Premier League would have been questioning why they didn’t signal Chiesa on the time.
The pundit mentioned: “He’s an enormous participant and he’s been linked with a number of golf equipment in England. I’m positive they’re pondering ‘why didn’t we get him?’
“He’s only a incredible footballer. The depth with which he performs with, we noticed within the Euros he was the primary aim risk for the Italians who went on to win the match.
“It’s his tempo, his drive. He’s the one who’s the risk, he’s potent, he needs to run in behind.
“He’s that modern-day striker who can play wherever throughout the entrance line and he’s as snug out huge as he’s via the center. He unnerves defenders with that tempo, he’s so direct.”
Buffon confession and Bale comparisons
Suarez will not be the one participant Chiesa has been in comparison with. Former Fiorentina director Giancarlo Antognoni, likened Chiesa to Bale in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport in 2019.
“The reality is that Chiesa is a European stage participant, not one historically related to Italians,” he mentioned.
“In Italy, we’ve had huge attackers with differing traits, resembling my buddy Bruno Conti or in right this moment’s recreation Lorenzo Insigne.
“Chiesa has dribbling abilities and high quality, but in addition stamina, tempo and energy. He’s like a younger Gareth Bale who drives you loopy and by no means provides in.”
In the meantime, Gianluigi Buffon admitted he thought-about retiring from the sport when he first confronted Chiesa after having been teammates along with his father, Enrico, at Parma.
“After I confronted him, at first I used to be disoriented,” he instructed Eurosport again in 2019.
“It was the primary time I used to be enjoying towards the son of a former buddy of mine. I believed it was time to cease.”
Later, Buffon additionally described Chiesa as a “particular” participant.
“When he arrived at Juve I didn’t suppose he was so good. I’m trustworthy. Within the European Championship he was unbelievable, within the remaining match with England, it was inconceivable to cease him,” Buffon mentioned.
“After a season at Juve with Federico it’s not a shock for me, but it surely was not apparent that he would have the ability to play at such a excessive stage in a match just like the European Championship.
“When you do these issues at such a excessive stage, then it means that you’re actually particular.”
If these feedback from such a goalkeeping legned are something to go by, Liverpool might have a very thrilling participant on their fingers.