According to a recent report by Gazzetta dello Sport (subscription required), Manchester United are among several teams keeping a keen eye on Fiorentina attacker Federico Chiesa this summer (via Goal). The same source has also revealed that the Red Devils will face fierce competition from Chelsea, Juventus and Inter Milan in pursuit of the Italian playmaker during the summer transfer period.
However, it is understood that Chiesa wants to remain in Italy which has given his current employers some hope of retaining his services while also boosting the chances of Juve and Inter as well (translated by Goal).
Chiesa’s Brilliant Rise To Prominence At Florence
The 22-year-old is a product of Fiorentina’s academy, who has made his way up the club’s youth ranks before going on to feature in 139 matches for them across all competitions, scoring 29 goals and providing 20 assists. He has also enjoyed a productive season at Florence so far after establishing himself as a regular member of Giuseppe Iachini’s starting XI.
Chiesa has made 26 appearances for the Italian outfit this term, finding the back of the net on seven occasions while also grabbing five assists on all fronts which highlight just how well he has performed for his club down the right flank. The Genova-born talent has averaged 3.5 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in the Serie A this season (stats via whoscored). His stats prove just how consistent he has been for Fiorentina over the past nine months.
The promising wide player has also earned 17 senior caps for the Italian national team thus far, netting one goal for his country in the process. Maybe, a change of scenery this summer could provide him with a bigger platform to showcase his skills which might boost his chances of being named in Roberto Mancini’s senior squad for next year’s UEFA European Championship finals after the competition got delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What Will The Italy International Bring To The Table?
Chiesa can use his quickness and agility to complete some penetrative dribbles out on the wide areas. He excels at making driving runs with the ball and usually packs a lot of power with his shots attempts. The Italian wide player can work his socks off to cover a lot of ground for the benefit of his side but needs to improve his end product if he wants to break into the world-class bracket someday. The talented wing wizard can also be a bit untidy with his ball-distribution after completing only 75.9% of his attempted passes in the Serie A this season (stats via whoscored).
Is Chiesa The Right Choice For Solskjaer?
Chiesa will not only add some goals and creativity to the Man United attack but also enhance the overall depth of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad. At 22, the best is yet to come from the Italian wide player, so the Red Devils can benefit from bringing him to the Theatre of Dreams this summer.
Recruiting the Fiorentina youngster will also increase competition for the likes of Daniel James, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood in the race to secure one of the wing positions in Solskjaer’s starting XI. Chiesa’s acquisition will also offer the Norwegian head coach the freedom to experiment with his formations, tactics and team selections more often in the coming seasons which makes him an ideal choice for Man United to target before the start of the new campaign.
