"I’d have gone out and paid the money" - Pundit believes Liverpool should have signed PL star instead of Federico Chiesa
According to reports, Liverpool are set to strengthen their attacking depth with the addition of Juventus winger Federico Chiesa. The Italian forward will join for a reported £13 million fee, but former Preston North End manager and Liverpool fan Ryan Lowe believes the club should have pursued Anthony Gordon instead.
The Reds have struggled to bolster their squad this season, with two of their targets, Martin Zubimendi and Gordon, deciding to stay put at their respective club. Although midfield was an area in need of improvement, the club have now added a solid backup to Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz in Chiesa.
Chiesa is effective as a right winger, but is quite versatile and can play on the left side or as a center forward as well. Despite this, Lowe feels the club should have made a stronger effort to sign Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon, a potential starter, rather than settling for Chiesa, who is expected to serve as a backup.
"If you’re asking me, I’d have gone out and paid the money for Anthony Gordon. I know the Newcastle fans won’t like that but the fact of the matter is, he’s one who’d be coming in and potentially being a starter. Backup players…I think Liverpool have done that in many years before," Lowe said (via TBR Football).
"If he can stay fit and prove his fitness, then he’ll prove his worth but yeah, he’s definitely an addition to the squad. Everyone is talking him being a squad player, Liverpool don’t need squad players at the moment – they need starters. I know they’ve got the front three already, but they need better."
Chiesa was a key player for Juventus and Italy until a knee injury in 2022 affected his form. Since then, he has continued to struggle with injuries, and his performances have declined over the past two years. Overall, he made 131 appearances for Juventus over four seasons, scoring 32 goals and providing 23 assists.
Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool will be less exciting under Arne Slot compared to Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool have begun the Arne Slot era with style, winning consecutive games against Ipswich Town and Brentford. They have also notably kept two clean sheets, which is certainly a positive sign going forward.
The most significant change, however, has been Slot’s playing style compared to Jurgen Klopp’s. While Klopp’s Liverpool were known for their fast-paced, end-to-end games, Slot’s team appears more composed in possession and take their time to create opportunities.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes that this newfound calmness in possession will help the team manage games more effectively. But he also admitted that Slot’s Liverpool may not be as exciting to watch as Klopp’s.
“Last season was a rollercoaster ride for supporters; late goals, coming from behind. It felt like every game was like a cup final. Liverpool needed more games like this (vs Brentford) last season. That was almost like a Man City performance in that the game felt over when the second goal went in. There wasn’t any jeopardy in the game. Arne Slot’s Liverpool aren’t going to be as exciting as Jurgen Klopp’s - that’s impossible," Carragher said (via Sky Sports)
Liverpool will face a challenging test against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, September 1, before heading into the international break.