After a subdued summer on the transfer front, Liverpool have sprung a surprise with just a few days of the window remaining, pouncing for a cut-price deal to sign Federico Chiesa.
Despite his reputation, the Italy international had been seeking a new club for several weeks, so his imminent arrival at Anfield will be questioned by fans and pundits alike.
The former Fiorentina winger was frozen out at Juventus, but his exile is set to end with an attractive move to the Premier League, after a possible switch to Barcelona failed to transpire.
Undoubtedly, Chiesa will be delighted to join Arne Slot's post-Klopp evolution, but why does a Liverpool squad packed with attacking talent need Chiesa?
Here, Sports Mole looks at just why Juve let him go, and how he could help the Reds' quest for glory.
A victim of circumstance: Motta's new era at Juventus
© Imago
Having taken the traditional route from Fiorentina to Juventus five years ago, Chiesa quickly set about becoming one of the Bianconeri's main men, as their dominance of Italian football continued.
For a while, with Chiesa alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, the Turin club remained kings of Calcio, but in recent times they have fallen from grace - their star winger's injury woes certainly did not help.
Although still an important part of the setup under former coach Max Allegri, he was sometimes sidelined last season, before new boss Thiago Motta came in during the summer.
Motta soon established a 'bomb squad' of players he wanted to cut loose, and the 26-year-old was chief among them - mostly because he had just one year left on his contract.
As Juve were being radically re-shaped under new management, the Italy star found himself on the transfer list, made available at a low-cost fee of just over £10 million.
Now, he will go from training alone in Turin to joining the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah at Premier League heavyweights Liverpool.
What can Chiesa bring to Slot's squad?
© Imago
Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes said earlier this summer that the club would aim to be 'opportunistic' in the transfer market, and perhaps the prime reason for signing Chiesa is his availability for a modest fee.
Nonetheless, the Reds are getting another experienced player that can add to their attacking options, and signing the Euro 2020 winner represents a low-risk choice.
Above all, Chiesa's versatility will add depth to more than one part of Arne Slot's squad, as he is comfortable playing anywhere across the front line - primarily as a winger but sometimes as a second striker.
While he has even played at wing-back in the past, that will not be required at Anfield, but the ex-Juve star should certainly fulfil another requirement of all Slot's players.
Chiesa's work-rate is particularly impressive, and he will mirror his new teammates in the crucial tasks of covering ground and quickly recovering possession.
© Reuters
Though Liverpool's current quintet are established, he can comfortably cover Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and even Darwin Nunez, while occasionally stepping for the iconic Mohamed Salah may prove part of a year-long audition.
It is well known that Salah's contract expires next summer, so if Liverpool are seeking a successor to their Egyptian superstar in 2025, that man might come from within.
Like Salah, Chiesa is renowned for his ability to beat defenders one-on-one, escape tight spaces, carry the ball at pace and lead rapid transitions - albeit the Italian's goal record pales in comparison to that of the multiple Golden Boot winner.
On average, Chiesa created just over two chances per game in Serie A last season, and despite suffering several fitness issues still posted a double-figure goal tally across all competitions.
Can Chiesa combat concerns about fitness and end product?
© Imago
An overall record of 32 goals and 23 assists from 131 Juventus appearances also stacks up well, though Chiesa's highest seasonal tally was a relatively modest 14 in 2020-21.
Across his time in Turin, he averaged a goal every three league games, as productivity slowed after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in early 2022, which ruled the quicksilver attacker out for 10 months.
With Juve in the doldrums, Chiesa's comeback was marked by claims of sub-par form and bad decision-making by the local media, though he did intermittently sparkle last season.
Considering his injury history, the former golden boy of Italian football will surely start off as a squad player, as Liverpool attempt to negotiate campaigns in the Premier League and newly expanded Champions League, plus both domestic cups.
The 26-year-old's favoured position is on the left, from where he can drive inside and shoot, but in-form Luis Diaz stands firmly in his way; Chiesa may therefore begin life in England by taking a place on the bench.
