(Video) Sky pundit claims Liverpool should’ve signed 23y/o instead of Chiesa

Liverpool are on the verge of securing Federico Chiesa in a bargain £12.5m deal from Juventus, although one pundit believes the Reds should’ve instead strengthened their attacking ranks with a big-money addition.

Earlier this summer, LFC had been close to landing Anthony Gordon from Newcastle for £75m, and Ryan Lowe thinks the England international would’ve been better placed than his Italian counterpart to make an immediate impact on Arne Slot’s starting XI.

Speaking about the 26-year-old on Sky Sports‘ Soccer Special, the former Preston manager said: “He’s definitely gonna be a backup to that front three because they’re all quality players. Where does he fit in?

“If you’re asking me, I’d have gone out and paid the money for Anthony Gordon. I know the Newcastle fans won’t like that but the fact of the matter is, he’s one who’d come in and potentially be a starter. Backup players, I think Liverpool have done that in many years before.

“If he can stay fit and prove his fitness, then he’ll prove his worth, but yeah he’s definitely an addition to the squad. Everyone’s talking him being a squad player – Liverpool don’t need squad players at the moment. They need starters and I know they’ve got the front three already, but they need better.”

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£12.5m for Chiesa or £75m for Gordon? When assessing the scoring figures that those two players have accrued in their respective careers, it’s surely impossible not to conclude that the former represents far better value.

The Italian has 47 goals in 235 Serie A games, a better ratio than the Newcastle man’s 20 in 118 Premier League appearances, along with being far more experienced at Champions League and international level.

Also, even if the 26-year-old doesn’t get into Liverpool’s starting XI straight away, he could become a regular presence in the team if he makes the desired impact, and a mixture of squad rotation and the likelihood of injuries elsewhere should given him plenty of opportunities to impress Slot.

You can view Lowe’s comments below (from 2:20), via @SkySportsPL on X:

“It’s a bargain”

The Soccer Special panel discuss Federico Chiesa’s potential move from Juventus to Liverpool 🔴 pic.twitter.com/njMBMVrh77

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 28, 2024