Newcastle United are actively looking for new additions who can improve their already impressive squad this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential transfer target.
What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Federico Chiesa?
According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are competing with Liverpool for the signature of Juventus winger, Federico Chiesa.
As per the report, both Premier League clubs are monitoring the player's situation with the Serie A giants, as it is claimed that Chiesa is one of the assets that could be moved on to bolster funds and invest in Max Allegri's tactical philosophy – a 3-5-2 set-up that is ill-suited for the forward.
How good is Federico Chiesa?
There is no doubt that Chiesa is a talented forward who could be a revelation at St James' Park if he could emulate his impressive output in the Premier League, however, his injury record casts a dark cloud over his undeniable ability.
During the 2022/23 campaign alone, the Italy international – hailed a "wizard" by Liverpool insider DaveOCKOP – has had seven separate injury and fitness issues amounting to 75 days in recovery which left him unavailable for selection in 14 fixtures for the Old Lady, which follows almost an entire year out of action due to an ACL injury sustained in January 2022.
As a result, Howe could be heading for an absolute howler if Chiesa is brought in as a replacement for Allan Saint-Maximin, as the Frenchman has a similar problem with injuries and has been an unreliable option in the forward line when needed.
Saint-Maximin – who has been recently speculated for an exit from Newcastle this summer – had four spells on the sidelines over last season; tallying up 81 days out of action and missing 13 fixtures for the North East club, demonstrating a similar recent injury record to Chiesa.
The signing of Chiesa would indeed pose risk on his availability and Howe will need to look at their options when considering whether the Italian's impressive output, versatility and experience in the Champions League will be a valuable asset that outweighs his troubling fitness record.
Over 287 club appearances so far, the 25-year-old Euro 2020 winner has scored 67 goals and registered 49 assists, with a goal contribution every 174 minutes.
Not only that, Chiesa ranks in the top 25% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shots on goal, assists, progressive carries, successful take-ons, tackles and blocks, proving that he is one of the top all-action wingers in Europe over the last 12 month, as per FBref.
The Magpies are also extremely conscious of their Financial Fair Play constraints and with Chiesa commanding a reported fee of €60m (£51m) this summer, it would be a substantial investment for the club to commit to, that would see them edge closer to reaching their financial limits at present.
With that being said, there is no doubt that Chiesa would bring huge quality to the Tynesiders, but when considering his price tag and availability there may be other options worth investing in this summer.
