Liverpool stance on shock January exit claims revealed as star fights to replace Mo Salah

Liverpool signed Federico Chiesa from Juventus for a bargain £12.5m over the summer, but recent reports have linked him with a shock return to Italy – while we can reveal the Reds’ top three potential Mo Salah replacements.

The 27-year-old winger has played just 18 minutes of Premier League football so far this season due to injuries, with Arne Slot citing him missing pre-season as the reason for his issues.

Reports from Italy on Thursday suggested that Liverpool could loan Chiesa back to the Serie A for the second half of the season to get some much-needed minutes.

Both Inter Milan and Roma are reportedly interested in securing his services, but we understand that these claims are wide of the mark.

Sources have revealed to TEAMtalk that Chiesa is not expected to leave Liverpool on loan in January. Over the summer, Roma and Inter Milan were interested in signing him but couldn’t get close to his salary demands and that has not changed. 

This is why a return to Italy, as things stand, is described as ‘improbable’ by sources. They add that Chiesa is fully focused on succeeding at Anfield once he returns to full fitness.

Liverpool are planning to sign a new winger who can replace Salah, who is out of contract at the end of the season. But Chiesa wants to prove to Slot that he can be the man to fill the void and have a consistent starting spot next term.

READ MORE: Liverpool rocked as Real Madrid advance towards Alexander-Arnold signing, with new meetings revealed

Liverpool eye three classy wingers for next summer

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has already begun scouring the market for potential Salah replacements, as Chiesa was never meant to be the one who fills in for the Egyptian international in the long term.

Salah, 32, is expected to leave Liverpool on a free transfer next summer once his contract expires, with clubs in the Saudi Pro League pushing to bring him in.

He is eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement overseas from January 1 – just 68 days from now – so his exit could be sealed very soon.

As previously revealed, TEAMtalk understands that Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo, Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi and Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane are at the top of Hughes’ Salah replacement shortlist.

Liverpool are not planning to splash the cash on a new winger in January, however, and only plan to bring one in next summer.

For now, Slot will rely upon Salah and Chiesa as his main right-winger options, with the former still one of the first names on the team sheet.

Chiesa will hope to break into the starting XI and prove to Slot that he does not need to sign a new winger for next season. He was considered one of Europe’s best players at one stage, but an ACL injury picked up in January 2022 has significantly dented his progress.

Liverpool transfer latest: Trent to Madrid / Arne Slot eyes reunion

Meanwhile, Liverpool are determined to keep hold of Trent Alexander-Arnold but that is proving more difficult than expected amid interest from Real Madrid.

Real Madrid ‘believe they have made significant progress’ in their hunt to sign the attacking right-back. Liverpool have sent Alexander-Arnold a ‘big’ new contract offer, but there is now ‘close to zero chance’ of him remaining at Anfield by agreeing fresh terms, per reports.

TEAMtalk has previously reported that Liverpool are ‘confident’ about keeping both Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk in particular, with Mo Salah’s future less certain.

Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that the Reds have drawn up a bumper new contract for Alexander-Arnold. However, as time goes on and January 1 draws nearer, Liverpool’s negotiating position weakens and Alexander-Arnold’s gets stronger.

It emerged recently that Madrid are ready to pay him £75m over five years, which works out at around £288,000 a week.

In other news, Liverpool continue to be linked with a multitude of midfielders and one of those reportedly on their shortlist is Benfica star Orkun Kokcu, who worked under Slot previously at Feyenoord.

Reports suggest that €50m (£41.7m / $54m) would be enough to sign him, making him cheaper than Martin Zubimendi, who Liverpool tried to sign over the summer.

Kokcu’s father hinted in a recent interview that it’s ‘possible’ that Kokcu makes the switch to Liverpool, so it will be interesting to see how this story develops.

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IN FOCUS: Federico Chiesa before and after his ACL injury