Federico Chiesa to suffer immediate Liverpool blow after FSG strike transfer agreement

Liverpool are reportedly set to sign Juventus star Federico Chiesa for a low price of just £11million, after the winger was transfer-listed by Thiago Motta in Turin.

He will join Arne Slot’s stacked forward line alongside Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz – the latter of which may cause an early issue for the club and Chiesa to overcome.

The Colombian forward himself has been linked with moves away from Anfield this summer, but no such exit is expected to materialise before Friday’s deadline. Diaz and Chiesa will need to co-exist at least until January.

Specialists on both flanks, Chiesa and Diaz should have no problem combining on the pitch, but a problem has arisen behind the scenes and a decision will need to be made before the Italian’s debut.

The Athletic claim that a deal has been agreed upon, with the 26-year-old set to sign a four-year contract and become the club’s second summer signing after goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

But before Anfield welcomes their newest forward, Chiesa will need to decide on what number he wants to wear on his new jersey. At Juventus, he donned the iconic number seven previously worn by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Deschamps and Paolo Di Canio.

That same number, however, is already taken at Anfield by his new team-mate Diaz. He switched from 23 at the beginning of last season when the jersey was vacated by James Milner’s exit to Brighton.

He wanted to emulate icons such as Kenny Daglish, Kevin Keegan, Peter Beardsley and Luis Suarez, blocking Chiesa’s path to wearing the same number he enjoyed success with at Juventus.

However, Chiesa will be buoyed by the news that some of the other numbers he has worn previously are available at Liverpool. While wearing No.14, he won Euro 2020 at Wembley and he is free to take up that digit at Anfield, last donned by club captain Jordan Henderson.

After starring for Fiorentina and earning a move to Serie A giants Juventus, Chiesa wore 25 throughout his time as a first-team member, with the number available again at Liverpool – last worn by Pepe Reina who departed in 2013.

And though his squad number is still up in the air, Chiesa appears delighted to be heading to the Premier League. “I’m very happy, I can’t wait to become (a) new Liverpool player,” the winger said at the airport. “Me and my family, we’re so happy really.

“Let me say thanks to Juventus and the fans, they have been always special with me. Now it’s time for Liverpool, I’m so happy. I can’t wait!”