- Jose Mourinho has reportedly made Liverpool flop Chiesa his number one target
- The 27-year-old has only played 33 minutes across four league appearances
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Why Jude Bellingham’s move to Real Madrid paid off for Liverpool
Jose Mourinho has reportedly told Fenerbahce to sign Liverpool outcast Federico Chiesa.
The Italian international has endured a nightmare debut season at Anfield after arriving in August for an initial £10million fee, which could rise to £12.5m based on add-ons.
The 27-year-old was the only major arrival in Arne Slot’s first transfer window and he was hailed as ‘bargain’ who could add further depth to their attacking talent.
But the Euro 2020 winner has played a mere 33 minutes of Premier League action across four appearances this season.
Fenerbahce boss Mourinho has identified Chiesa as a primary target in the upcoming transfer window, with the 62-year-old keen to improve his wide attacking roles, according to reports in Turkey.
Chiesa, who missed 14 games over between September and December with a muscle injury, can play on either wing or across the front line.
Jose Mourinho has reportedly told Fenerbahce to sign Liverpool outcast Federico Chiesa
The Portuguese boss has identified Chiesa as a primary target in the upcoming window
The Euro 2020 winner has played a mere 33 minutes of Premier League action this season
The former Juventus star came through the Fiorentina academy and has been capped by Italy 51 times, scoring seven times.
Although Liverpool wrapped up the league with a 5-1 hammering of Spurs last weekend, Chiesa faces an anxious wait to see if he will qualify for a winners medal, with players required to make at least five league appearances to guarantee one.
The Liverpool flop has found opportunities to break into the starting line up scarce since joining on a four-year deal, with goalscoring machine Mohamed Salah leading the attack alongside Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo.
Asked earlier this month whether Chiesa has a challenging job competing with Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai, Slot said: ‘Yeah, that is my answer.
‘They (Salah and Szoboszlai) have done well and they have never let the team or the fans or me or their teammates down.
‘They have always shown up and the final wasn’t our best game but I cannot say they didn’t show up but it was not our best game.
‘And for all the other games I think no one can say that these players didn’t perform – Szoboszlai, Mo Salah and all the others.
‘It is not to say that if you don’t play someone, you don’t trust them. I do, but probably I find the other ones a bit better otherwise I would make a different choice, or they fit better in the team.’
The 27-year-old Italy international was the only major arrival in Slot’s first transfer window
Slot admitted Chiesa has a challenging job in competing with Liverpool’s attacking players
Mourinho recently hit for the headlines after appearing to grab the nose of Galatasaray boss
Meanwhile, Mourinho’s side sit in second place, five points behind Galatasaray with five games remaining in the Super Lig.
The former Chelsea boss hit the headlines after appearing to grab the nose of Galatasaray boss Okan Buruk in jaw-dropping scenes in the Turkish cup earlier this month.
Fenerbahce were dumped out of the Turkish Cup after a 2-1 defeat by their fierce rivals and tensions spilled over when a mass scuffle between both sets of players broke out following the final whistle.
After approaching Buruk from behind, Mourinho seemingly pinched his opposite number’s nose. Buruk, 51, then fell to the floor, covering his face with his hands.
Mourinho was slapped with a three-match ban and a 292,500 Turkish Lira (£5,955) fine.
