Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa will hold talks with new head coach Andoni Iraola this summer over his Anfield future following a frustrating lack of playing time.
The 28-year-old has openly admitted he may seek a transfer ahead of the upcoming season if he cannot secure regular first-team football.
Speaking to the Italian media, the former Juventus forward revealed his ongoing struggles to cement a starting role on Merseyside.
He failed to start a single Premier League match in 2026 under previous manager Arne Slot.
Struggles for consistent minutes
The Italy international made just three substitute appearances across the final seven games of last season’s title-winning campaign.
Despite his limited involvement, the attacker contributed three goals and three assists in 726 minutes of action.
He arrived at Anfield in a £12m deal in 2024 but has consistently found it difficult to establish himself in English football.
“If I don’t find consistency in the Premier League, I’ll have to look elsewhere. I barely played in my first year at Liverpool, and in the last one, very little.” Federico Chiesa
A return to Serie A on the cards?
The lightning-fast winger confirmed he will attend the club’s pre-season training camp in the United States before making a final decision.
He plans to sit down with Iraola to discuss his overall prospects ahead of the new campaign.
“I’ll go on a training camp in the US, then I’ll talk to the club and the new manager, Iraola, and we’ll see.”
A return to his homeland appears the most likely outcome should the player ultimately depart the Premier League.
Juventus are reportedly interested in re-signing the Euro 2020 winner.
Como have also emerged as a potential destination after unexpectedly qualifying for the Champions League under Cesc Fabregas.
Arsenal are prepared to listen to summer transfer offers for Leandro Trossard as Mikel Arteta looks to reshape his title-winning squad.
The Belgian international is entering the final year of his current contract at Emirates Stadium.
Consequently, the north London club are open to sanctioning an exit to ensure they continue evolving their attacking options.
Several Premier League and European sides are reportedly monitoring the versatile forward’s situation ahead of the upcoming window.
Ruthless decisions to build a dynasty
Despite recently securing their first Premier League title in 22 years, Arsenal are eager to avoid standing still in the transfer market.
Manager Mikel Arteta is targeting long-term domestic dominance and is willing to make difficult decisions regarding established first-team players.
The former Brighton man has achieved cult hero status since his initial £20m arrival in 2023, frequently delivering crucial goals in tight matches.
During his time in the capital, the 31-year-old has registered 36 goals and 34 assists across 174 appearances in all competitions.
Arteta seeking attacking upgrades
Arteta has previously been vocal about his admiration for the player’s technical ability and tactical flexibility across the frontline.
“Trossard, great player. He’s a little magician.”
“He can score on any surface, and he’s a big threat; so composed, so cool, he can play in different positions. It’s just a joy to have him in the team.”
However, the Arsenal hierarchy are now prioritising upgrades on the left wing to match the consistent output provided by Bukayo Saka on the opposite flank.
Fellow attackers Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus could also face uncertain futures as the club seek to increase their overall goalscoring firepower.
Finding a clinical replacement for the departing Belgian will be critical if the Gunners are to establish a lasting Premier League dynasty.
Arsenal have received a significant boost in their pursuit of £80m-rated forward Eli Junior Kroupi after Paris Saint-Germain ended their interest in the teenager.
Mikel Arteta is actively looking to strengthen his squad ahead of their upcoming Premier League title defence.
The Gunners are seeking a response after suffering a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to the French champions in the Champions League final in Budapest.
However, the north London club have now been handed an advantage over those same European rivals in the summer transfer market.
Clear path for highly-rated teenager
Initial reports had suggested the former Lorient prospect preferred a return to his homeland to join Luis Enrique’s side.
It has now emerged that the Ligue 1 kingpins will not launch a bid for the talented youngster.
The Parisian board are reportedly content with their current attacking options and are looking at other targets.
This development paves the way for Arsenal to formalise their interest in the highly coveted attacker.
Proven top-flight pedigree
The 19-year-old only arrived in English football last year but has swiftly adapted to the physical demands of the top tier.
He enjoyed a stellar breakthrough campaign, registering 13 goals in 33 league appearances.
Those impressive domestic performances earned the dynamic forward a nomination for the Premier League’s Young Player of the Year award.
Arteta now faces the delicate task of integrating new talent without disrupting the successful blueprint that recently secured domestic glory.
Sarina Wiegman has demanded an immediate response from her England side after a humbling 4-0 defeat to Spain in Mallorca left automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup out of their hands.
The result marks the heaviest loss suffered by the national team since the Euro 2009 final against Germany.
Goals from Pati Guijarro, Claudia Pina and an Alexia Putellas double condemned the visitors to a chastening evening.
Automatic qualification hangs in the balance
This heavy defeat means the European champions sit second in Group A3 with just one fixture remaining.
Their path to next year’s tournament in Brazil now relies on an unlikely slip-up from the group leaders.
If the Spanish secure a victory in their upcoming match against Iceland, the runners-up will be forced to navigate a precarious play-off route.
Wiegman reflects on painful night
The manager admitted the manner of the performance was deeply disappointing and fell far short of her tactical expectations.
“Of course it hurts,” Wiegman said in her post-match press conference.
“I hoped for a totally different game. I expected a tight game, a very competitive game. But there was a difference tonight.”
The Dutch coach highlighted structural failures, noting her team were repeatedly bypassed when attempting to press high up the pitch.
“We were really struggling to keep the ball and find longer passes, or play it in behind. They played really well, and we didn’t play so well.”
She added that the frustration in the dressing room is palpable, as the squad are completely unaccustomed to losing by such a wide margin.
Ukraine test presents chance for redemption
Attention must now turn to Tuesday night’s crucial final group game against Ukraine at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The former Netherlands boss insisted she is entirely focused on delivering a strong performance to end the group stage on a positive note.
“First of all, we’re really focusing on Tuesday. We want to get a good performance in that game, and win – that’s the most important thing.”
Regardless of results elsewhere, the Lionesses must secure three points to maintain any hope of bypassing the dreaded play-off phase.
Republic of Ireland striker Amber Barrett insists her team have nothing to lose when they face group leaders France in Grenoble on Tuesday with an automatic World Cup qualification spot at stake.
The forward recently came off the bench in the 76th minute to score a dramatic late winner against the Netherlands in front of a 12,000-strong crowd in Cork.
That crucial victory means Carla Ward’s side have guaranteed at least a seeded play-off place, officially avoiding a bottom-place finish in their qualification group.
However, an away win against the French would completely bypass those play-offs and secure their passage to back-to-back international tournaments.
Targeting automatic qualification
Speaking to RTE following the momentous win over the Dutch, the match-winner emphasised the squad’s fearless mentality heading into the vital fixture.
“We do not have anything to lose,” Barrett stated.
“When we started the group, what everyone was looking at was not finishing fourth.”
“We avoided that tonight and we have nothing to lose on Tuesday, we are going to give everything we have.”
The Irish squad travel to the continent on a three-match unbeaten run, determined to avenge the 2-1 defeat they suffered against Laurent Bonadei’s team at Tallaght Stadium earlier in March.
‘Tuesday is a cup final’
Despite the safety net of the upcoming October and December play-offs, the attacker revealed that their manager has instilled a relentless winning mindset within the camp.
“Before, if you were 2-2 against the Netherlands, you would probably be rubbing your hands together and saying ‘we will take this’, but Carla [Ward] said from the start of the week, let everyone know we will be going to win the game,” she explained.
“Tuesday is a cup final.”
“Against the Netherlands, we were for it and we were trying to win that game, there was no doubt about it.”
France currently sit comfortably at the top of the group, posing a formidable challenge for the travelling side.
“It is a massive game on Tuesday, we will enjoy tonight but we are not taking for granted the French, they are an unbelievable side,” the striker concluded.
“Recover, get ready and let’s go again.”
United States manager Mauricio Pochettino has expressed his frustration after key defender Chris Richards was ruled out of Saturday’s final World Cup warm-up against Germany in Chicago with an ankle injury.
The 24-year-old sustained ligament damage playing for Crystal Palace in May and is now a major doubt for the opening tournament fixture against Paraguay.
The Argentine tactician revealed he feels misled by the medical updates provided by the Premier League club.
Conflicting recovery timelines
The towering centre-back was initially expected to be available for the recent Conference League final, but remained an unused substitute.
The American medical staff then anticipated his return for Sunday’s victory over Senegal, which he subsequently missed.
“When we decided on our final list, we thought that Chris would be able to play in the final of Conference League because we had done the list before that and we had some information that we thought he would be able to play.”
Mauricio Pochettino
“Today, the information we got was that his injury would take even more time. And I got a little annoyed and I am not happy because Chris Richards is an important player, and we all know that.”
Defensive headache for opening clash
The national team begin their home World Cup campaign against the South Americans at SoFi Stadium in California on June 12.
Finding a reliable replacement in central defence remains an issue in one of the thinnest areas of the talent pool for the tournament hosts.
The Eagles averaged significantly more points across all competitions this season when their American star was in the starting lineup.
His absence against the four-time world champions means the hosts’ core group of stars will have started together just once in the entire cycle leading up to the tournament.
Liverpool have opened negotiations to sign 16-year-old Hertha Berlin prospect Kennet Eichhorn as new manager Andoni Iraola begins his comprehensive squad rebuild.
The Premier League club have held extensive discussions over the past 48 hours to secure the signature of the highly-rated German youth international.
A move to England is emerging as a strong possibility for the teenager after his current employers failed to secure promotion back to the Bundesliga this season.
The Merseyside outfit face stiff competition for the emerging prospect, with Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund also closely monitoring his domestic situation.
Anfield rebuild gathers pace
Newly appointed boss Iraola, who signed a two-year deal to replace Arne Slot on Thursday, is wasting no time reshaping a squad that finished fifth in the top flight.
Club executives are acutely aware that significant reinforcements are required following the high-profile free transfer departures of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate.
Alongside their pursuit of the German talent, Anfield officials are also in contact with RB Leipzig over a potential £112m deal for Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande.
Rapid senior breakthrough
The sought-after prodigy does not celebrate his 17th birthday until next month but has already amassed 19 senior appearances in the German second tier.
His impressive breakthrough campaign could have yielded even more minutes had it not been interrupted by a late-season ankle injury and a subsequent red-card suspension.
Hertha captain Fabian Reese has been effusive in his praise for his young team-mate’s remarkable maturity and technical composure on the ball.
“He is an incredible, exceptional talent.”
Elite European institutions including Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have also deployed scouts to evaluate the tall, technically assured player, leaving his long-term future firmly undecided.
Iran’s national football team have been granted visas to enter the United States for the World Cup just 10 days before their opening match in Los Angeles.
A White House official confirmed the overnight approval on Friday following initial delays that forced the squad to relocate their training base to Mexico.
The geopolitical tension surrounding the tournament marks the first time since the competition’s inception in 1930 that a host nation will welcome a country with which it is actively engaged in conflict.
Relocation to Mexican border
Abolfazl Pasandideh, the Iranian ambassador to Mexico, previously stated late on Thursday that the essential travel documents had still not been issued.
Consequently, authorities in Tehran negotiated a last-minute decision to move the team’s preparatory camp from Arizona to Tijuana.
This shift to the border city was driven by administrative delays and a growing desire within the Middle Eastern nation to minimise their squad’s footprint on American soil.
The Asian representatives are now scheduled to land in Tijuana early on Sunday morning to finalise their preparations.
Security concerns and schedule
Diplomatic friction continues to overshadow the sporting spectacle as both administrations leverage the global event for political posturing.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed lawmakers earlier this week that individuals linked to the Revolutionary Guards would be completely barred from the Iranian delegation.
This strict directive could potentially impact several athletes who have previously completed mandatory military service with the powerful armed forces branch.
Despite these unprecedented off-field complications, the squad must now urgently redirect their focus towards their upcoming Group G campaign.
They begin their tournament against New Zealand on 15 June in California, before facing Belgium in the same city and eventually travelling north to Seattle to play Egypt.