Liverpool hit gold on “deadly” star who’s worth millions more than Chiesa

We’d all like to think that Jurgen Klopp watched Liverpool take on Manchester United with a wry grin on his face, enjoying the familiar sight of his beloved club running rampant at Old Trafford.

Indeed, Arne Slot’s perfect start to life as Liverpool boss saw excitement burst into euphoria as the incisive Reds capitalised on an error-strewn United display, winning 3-0 to enter the September international break level with dominant champions Manchester City.

You would not have to trawl deep into Premier League discourse to find someone pronouncing Pep Guardiola’s side as champions-elect, three games in, for Erling Haaland’s machine-like efficiency in front of goal and the deep-rooted winning mentality of the City unit has seen seven of the past eight league titles conquered.

Things can change in an instant, and Liverpool (and Arsenal, for that matter) are ready to fight against the odds to topple the unbeatable rulers.

There’s much work to be done before the Merseysiders are in a position to view themselves as title challengers, but they certainly have the firepower to do so, with Mohamed Salah wreaking havoc so far this season and Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota also enjoying fine starts to the year.

Liverpool didn’t do much in the transfer market this summer, but they did finish their frontline with a flourish, signing Federico Chiesa from Juventus.

Where Federico Chiesa fits into Liverpool’s frontline

Liverpool signed Chiesa from Juventus in a £12.5m deal in what was their sole senior signing of the summer. Fans were disappointed by the lack of transfer activity, for Liverpool have long felt a need for a new centre-back and an upgrade on holding midfielder Wataru Endo.

There’s a glint in his eye that takes a convincing comment on his eagerness to be a part of Slot’s Anfield project, having ended his career-long stint in his Italian homeland to try his hand in the Premier League.

Typically a right winger, Chiesa, aged 26, is as versatile as they come and has been hailed as an “absolutely world-class” player in the past by journalist Zach Lowy, praise that was echoed across the continent as he starred in his nation’s Euro 2020 triumph.

Chiesa has, however, been wrecked in recent seasons by injuries, notably missing ten months of action in 2022 due to an ACL rupture, though he has just completed a nearly injury-free season, bagging ten goals across all competitions.

As the stats show you below, Chiesa has been one of the most creative forwards in Serie A, with the technique to carve out openings for his peers and the ball-carrying quality to stretch lines and keep defenders guessing, always influencing and enriching the success of his side.

Liverpool have scored themselves a bargain. It’s hard to see it any other way, unless Chiesa falls to further woe on the fitness front. His dynamic, multi-functioning attack threat will see him enhance Liverpool’s attacking options, playing into the strengths of Diogo Jota in particular, who Liverpool have well and truly hit the jackpot on.

Why Diogo Jota is so special

Jota is “deadly”. It’s simple. In fact, he’s hailed as much by analyst Raj Chohan, with the Portuguese forward actually ranking among the top 2% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

To put that in perspective, Haaland ranks among the top 4% of forwards for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past 12 months, so Jota is actually firing them in from open play at a more prolific rate. Hah, fancy that.

Like his new Italian teammate, Jota has an injury record that leaves plenty to be desired, but then he’s also one of the Premier League’s foremost marksmen, so composed and cool under pressure, so clinical with his finishing.

He’s only actually registered 20 or more starts across all competitions in one of his four full campaigns since signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, and therein lies the 26-year-old’s biggest problem.

Jota has started the 2024/25 campaign well, playing from the outset across Liverpool’s opening three Premier League fixtures, and Chiesa’s playmaking prowess could be the perfect ingredient for Slot’s thus far preferred talisman.

Diogo Jota’s market value in 2024

It’s funny to think that Jota’s injuries, occurring every year and ruling him out for one significant spell or another, have precluded him from reaching the summit at Liverpool, but that he’s still comfortably one of the club’s finest players, capable across the frontline.

According to Transfermarkt’s player valuation model, he is currently marked with a £42m valuation, which is almost perfectly in line with the £41m outlay to bring him over from Molineux about four years ago.

Jota’s customary injury blows have indeed prevented that from stretching higher (though Transfermarkt did have him at £51m two years ago) but it’s still a fine illustration of the calibre of player that Liverpool have at their grasp.

It’s also £30m more than that of Chiesa, who may well enjoy a financial rise as his Liverpool career gets underway, but he will have his work cut out to overtake a player of Jota’s distinction.

Liverpool might have had their Jota masterclass in mind when forging ahead with Chiesa’s signing. They’ve hit the jackpot with one, and now feel that they can repeat the feat and eke out the giddy potential of the other.