Liverpool player makes transfer u-turn following arrival of Andoni Iraola

He was strongly linked with a move at the start of the summer but Federico Chiesa wants to start a “new chapter” at Liverpool following the arrival of new head coach Andoni Iraola.

Chiesa, who joined Liverpool from Juventus in 2014 for a reported £12.5million, was limited to first-team starts under Arne Slot.

Last season, he played 26 games in the Premier League but made just one start, a lack of regular minutes that saw him consider his immediate future at Anfield.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport last month, he said: “I want to play and if I don’t find continuity in the Premier League I’ll need to find it elsewhere. This season just gone, I got next to no minutes.”

I’ll go to the U.S. for pre-season then I’ll talk to the club and Iraola and we’ll see,” added Chiesa, who has since scored in Iraola’s first game in charge, a 4-2 win over Sunderland on Saturday.

Amid links of a return to Italy, it now appears Chiesa will remain at Liverpool for the 2026-27 campaign.

Ahead of the club’s pre-season clash against Wrexham on Wednesday (July 29), the previously out-of-favour winger spoke with enthusiasm as he opened up on a “new chapter” under Andoni Iraola.

“I am doing the best I can to have a chance here – and then we will see,” he said.

“At the minute, the only thing I am thinking about is Liverpool. I don’t know – it is difficult to say (if it is a fresh start under Andoni Iraola). It is always a fresh start at the beginning of the year.

“Maybe there have been too many fresh starts. But I don’t care, I am trying to do my best for this new manager. Last season under Arne Slot, I was trying to do my best too.

“Last year, I felt ready for a bigger role, then it depended on the coach whether he wanted me to play or not. Of course I wanted to play more but it is what it is.

The gaffer decided to do so, he had his game plans, he took his decisions, I have nothing to say about that. It is football. This year, let us say it is a new chapter. There is a new manager and I have to focus on that.”

Bradley Barcola makes transfer decision amid Liverpool interest

Chiesa will have to compete with some new faces this season as Liverpool plans to refresh their attack this summer.

One of those linked with a move to Anfield is PSG forward Bradley Barcola. In fact, on Tuesday morning, it emerged that the Premier League side have held ‘preliminary talks’ for the 23-year-old, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

PSG and Liverpool, meanwhile, are yet to engage in formal club-to-club negotiations but that is expected to change in the coming days, with Barcola being Liverpool’s leading target.

With all that being said, the forward’s price tag may become an issue. A report from French publication RMC Sport claims the Parisiens are holding out for €170million (£145m), a number that Liverpool see as ‘inflated’ and ‘unrealistic’.

However, the Reds will try to budge that number down as they aim to strike an agreement.

“Liverpool also tried for Barcola last summer when he was valued around €85million,” says Jacobs, who adds: “Liverpool have no intention to pay double that number now.”

The report from RMC also suggests Barcola has informed PSG of his desire to leave after turning down a lucrative new contract offer with the Ligue 1 champions. A final offer of an extension was rejected three months ago.