Liverpool 'target £43.5m player' who Cristiano Ronaldo 'wanted at Man Utd'

Liverpool are targeting Federico Chiesa as a Mohamed Salah replacement, reports in Spain have claimed.

Liverpool fans will be relieved they still have Salah among their ranks this term, with the club having rejected a verbal offer worth up to £150million for the 31-year-old from Al Ittihad at the end of August.

Amid several reports of Salah’s impending departure, Jurgen Klopp was always insistent he would remain at the club. ​​The German said earlier this month: "I've never had, and I don't have now, doubts about his future, his commitment to this club. Believe me, you can't imagine how much fuss the whole world makes and how calm we are with it.”

While talk of Salah’s departure has died down upon the close of the Saudi transfer window, the Merseyside club will likely be bracing themselves for another mega bid for the Egyptian in January and next summer.

In turn, Liverpool will have one eye on a replacement. And according to Spanish publication Fichajes, the Reds are considering a move to sign Chiesa.

The report comes a month after Corriere dello Sport claimed the Italy international would gladly accept a move to Anfield, with Juventus demanding a £43.5million fee.

The 25-year-old playmaker was one of the star players at the European Championships two years ago as Italy went on to win the competition, beating England on penalties in the final.

Unfortunately, in the past 24 months, he has spent much of his time on the treatment table, nursing various injuries.

According to a Calciomercato report from October 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo was a big admirer of Chiesa at the time and wanted United to make a move for the player.

The pair played with each other at Juventus, before the five-time Ballon d’Or winner returned to Old Trafford for an ill-fated year-and-a-half spell.

SPORTbible are on WhatsApp! We've launched a dedicated news channel to send you the latest news, features and plenty more directly on WhatsApp and all you need to do to sign up is click through to our one-way broadcast channel here for 'SPORTbible News' to appear in the 'Updates' tab on your WhatsApp.