Federico Chiesa was signed by Liverpool last summer in a bargain £12m deal from Juventus.

The Italian international was the only new player to arrive at Anfield last year with the Reds also signing Giorgi Mamardashvili before loaning the Georgian goalkeeper back to La Liga side Valencia for the season.

Having arrived on Merseyside with nearly three years’ worth of injuries and no pre-season, it’s perhaps no real surprise that Chiesa has struggled at Liverpool in his first year in England, with Jose Mourinho believed to be interested in signing the winger for Fenerbahce.

And according to a new report, there was one moment this season from Chiesa on the pitch that left Liverpool’s coaching staff concerned.

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According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool staff were left worried by Chiesa’s performance against Championship side Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup in February, a game that provided one of the shocks of the season as the Pilgrims beat the Reds 1-0.

As per the report, Chiesa’s performance likely set the winger’s Liverpool career back with the forward hardly featuring for the Reds since the defeat at Home Park, with the forward now having just four games left this season to redeem himself and to prove his worth.

With clubs interested in signing Chiesa, there could be a temptation from Liverpool to offload the former Juventus star if a good enough offer comes in, especially with the Reds eyeing up a new attacker in the summer.

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Yet with Chiesa’s first season in England always going to be a difficult one, a full pre-season could be what’s needed for the Italian international to get his Premier League career on track, and Liverpool could be willing to give the forward the time needed to do just that.

Chiesa is likely to remain a Liverpool player over the summer despite links on a move to Fenerbahce as well as back to Italy, with the Reds unlikely to give up on the former Serie A star after one injury-ridden season.

However, time is still against Chiesa when heading into the new season, with the forward fully aware that he needs to deliver under Slot next campaign or he could be facing an uncertain future at Anfield heading into 2026.

Indeed, Chiesa has the quality to be one of Liverpool’s best attackers, yet the winger needs to start showing results on the pitch if he’s to keep his place in the team and to win support back on his side.