Liverpool star performs complete U-turn on future and vows to stay

Steve Pearson 16 Aug 2025 7:28 AM

Liverpool manager Arne Slot

A Liverpool star who had looked almost certain to leave has now insisted he wants to stay and will hold talks with the club to iron out his future.

Liverpool kicked off their Premier League title defence with a chaotic 4-2 victory over Bournemouth on Friday night. The Reds looked scintillating in attack at times but the addition of extra attack-minded players in the starting eleven did leave Arne Slot’s side vulnerable at the back.

Antoine Semenyo – who reported racist abuse in the first half – brilliantly exposed Liverpool’s gung-ho tactics on two occasions.

Yet it was the unfamiliar face of Federico Chiesa who spared Liverpool’s blushes late on when expertly finishing inside a crowded box. Mo Salah rubberstamped the victory with a fourth Liverpool goal in injury time.

Chiesa’s goal was his first in the Premier League and if the noise throughout the summer is to be believed, it could be his last.

Indeed, Chiesa has been heavily linked with a return to Serie A following his maiden campaign in England that saw the Italian starved of opportunities.

And in a World Cup year, reports from a wide variety of reliable sources persistently claimed Chiesa had all but determined his Liverpool career must end.

As recently as two weeks ago, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano declared: “Even after Luis Diaz’s sale, Federico Chiesa’s plan remains to leave Liverpool as he wants to play more. Serie A, still his favourite destination.”

But speaking to Sky Italia after his heroics against Bournemouth, Chiesa insisted he’s happy at Liverpool and strongly suggested he wants to stay.

That sentiment was certainly shown in Chiesa’s goal celebration in which the winger repeatedly pointed to the Liverpool crest on his shirt.

Chiesa began by speaking about Diogo Jota, stating: “I start with the thought after the goal: it went to Diogo, to his brother and his family.

“Today was truly touching: finishing the match with a win like that was a great emotion. From up there, Diogo helped me put that ball in, I want to believe that’s how it went.”

He continued, commenting on Arne Slot’s faith in him: “A goal always pays off: wherever the coach puts me, I play.

“I had a hard time arriving here because the pace is different: after a year, I’ve had this satisfaction. The coach gave me a chance and always gave me words of encouragement.”

On his future, Chiesa concluded: “We’ll talk to Liverpool, but I’ll be honest: I’m happy here.

“I play for one of the best teams in the world: I have to wait and be ready like I was tonight.

“I have to prove that I can play for this team. I repeat, the manager has been very good with me in recent months.”

Liverpool can’t afford to lose Chiesa

Liverpool have signed Hugo Ekitike for their forward line and if they get their way, Alexander Isak will arrive too.

However, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz have been sold, Ben Doak is joining Bournemouth, Harvey Elliott continues to be linked with a move away and tragically, Diogo Jota passed away.

Rio Ngumoha is now considered a fully fledged first-team squad member, but the truth is Liverpool are light on numbers in attack.

In a season in which Liverpool will expect to win multiple major trophies and one in which Salah will miss a portion while playing at AFCON, Chiesa’s importance to the cause is higher than it’s ever been.