Federico Chiesa has been on the radar of Italian and English clubs for quite some time now. The centre-forward has been Fiorentina’s best player this season with 11 goals and three assists to his name in all competitions.
While Juventus and Inter Milan have been scouting the poacher, there has been heavy interest from Manchester United and Chelsea. According to recent reports, it is United who are leading the race for his signature.
Today we take a look at how the centre-forward can add value to the already star-studded United lineup.
What can Federico Chiesa Bring to Manchester United?
Fiorentina director’s revelation
According to Manchester Evening News, Fiorentina director Joe Barone has already confirmed heavy interest from ‘clubs who speak English’ and this certainly points towards approach from the Red Devils.
Prior to this, Barone had also told La Gazzetta dello Sport that the Italian forward is not represented by an agent and any type of transfer interest is dealt with by him with help of the club itself.
He added that Chiesa was focused on completing the season with La Viola. The Director’s revelation though has put the ‘English clubs’ in pole position to secure a talent like Chiesa for next season.
Federico Chiesa’s Strengths and Weaknesses
One of the key strengths of Chiesa is his versatile positioning. The 22-year-old can play on either flank or even on either side in the midfield. His natural position though is the centre forward role.
Another key fact about Chiesa’s style of play is his ability to dribble past opponents. This could come really handy in the Premier League as English football favours dribblers of the ball. He is also a great striker of the ball from longer ranges.
The attacker is infamous for not being a very physically strong player. This wires down to him being weak at holding onto the ball and committing fouls more often than usual.
How can he Improve United?
Anthony Martial has not been at his predicted levels since his arrival from AS Monaco a few years back, while Odion Ighalo‘s deal is still under scrutiny. This leaves the Manchester club with some serious striker problems (considering Marcus Rashford plays in a wider role).
Chiesa could be a great addition to this squad which has struggled right since the departure of Wayne Rooney.
The Italian is an influential player in the final third. This is what United need in terms of explosiveness after the addition of January signing, Bruno Fernandes. An attacking lineup with Federico Chiesa, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes could be a huge threat to any level of opposition, not only in England but also in Europe.
Chiesa is also a big threat from indirect set-pieces. This could help the Red Devils as Harry Maguire would love some good company while attacking the corners sent in by Bruno Fernandes.
Conclusion
United don’t have any reason to be desperate about Chiesa’s transfer. The club still has Martial and potentially Ighalo who check all the boxes with respect to a good attacking setup.
But if the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led squad want to compete for the major titles across Europe, Chiesa looks like the perfect long term solution for it. With a market value of €48 million, the English club would have to break their bank to sign him.
The United Board will have a huge decision to make considering how the current season shapes up after the remaining fixtures.
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