The not-even-a-bit-biased GdS is really trying to finagle Chiesa to Juventus

Following Fiorentina’s heart-breaking 4-3 loss at Inter Milan, the Gazzetta dello Sport, a publication renowned for publishing reports that aren’t almost hilariously biased in favor of Juve, reported that Federico Chiesa had requested Viola owner Rocco Commisso to sell him. Combined with the report that Rocco has set the star winger’s price at €60 million and the rumors that the Italy international doesn’t want to leave the peninsula, that means one thing (again, according to GdS): Juventus.

This is hardly the first time the Bianconeri have tried to sink their claws into Fede; indeed, it’s more of a yearly ritual at this point. However, due to their own shaky finances, they probably need to sell a winger to make the deal work. Douglas Costa seems to be the odd man out, and getting his salary off the books is probably on of the top items on Fabio Paratici’s to-do list regardless of the club’s interest in Chiesa.

So, since Juve can’t shell out that €60 million, Gazzetta have proposed a modest solution that’ll totally be best for everyone involved: a 2-year loan with an initial €10 million fee, then payments to start in 2022 if it works out for them. This is obviously terrible for Fiorentina for several reasons.

Considering the last time that a highly-touted winger from the Viola academy moved to the bad side of Turin (how’re those stomach problems, Federico Bernardeschi?), this is a huge risk for Fiorentina. If Chiesa somehow struggles, he’d wind up back in Florence with his contract expiring, leaving Fiorentina with €10 million instead of the €60 million they want while depriving themselves of his talents for even longer.

It’s also pretty late in the mercato to find a Chiesa replacement. While Pol Lirola is probably adequate at that right wingback spot, he doesn't provide a fraction of Fede’s goal threat (a team-leading 10 Serie A goals last year). That would also leave Lorenzo Venuti backing up both the right and left wingback spots, which isn’t great. While Daniele Pradè’s predilection for buying players just before the transfer window closes is well documented, there’s no way he could find a deal for someone who brings Fede’s attacking impact for cheaper than it’d be to simply keep him around.

Too, let’s not forget that Chiesa is 22 years old and very frustrated with the recent result. We’re not trying to trivialize his feelings or say that he’ll get over it, but there’s never been any question that Fede is a passionate guy who hates losing. It’s not crazy to think that, still gripped in the agony of defeat, he’d ask to be sold. Rocco will be happy to wait it out for a bit and then chat with him again once the clouds have cleared and could get a different answer.

On the off chance that the Gazzetta is right about this, it’s mighty tough to see it working out. Rocco’s not going to budge off his asking price and has shown himself to be a bit of a Fede-whisperer in the past, to say nothing of Giuseppe Iachini’s connection with his young winger. Perhaps it’ll happen next year. Perhaps even this winter. But unless the Viola are desperate to shake up their own team in order to help J******s, they’re not going to do this business. All this does is remind us of whose corner GdS is in, as if we really needed a reminder.