The Bianconeri's new boss is overseeing a ruthless clear-out in Turin as he looks to put the Old Lady back on her perch
Federico Chiesa was just 22 when he inspired Italy to victory at Euro 2020. For a player coming off the back of a brilliant debut season at Juventus, superstardom beckoned. Alessio Tacchinardi was among those who tipped him to challenge for the Ballon d'Or "in three or four years".
Sadly, Chiesa's career has gone in a very different direction since then. The expected leader of the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era at Juventus has now been deemed surplus to requirements in Turin by new coach Thiago Motta.
Consequently, less than a fortnight before the start of the new Serie A season, one of the heroes of Italy's Euros win is searching for a new club – and worse still, no top teams seem to want to sign him. It's a shocking and sad turn of events for Chiesa, who was being courted by nearly all of Europe's elite after his heroics at Wembley in the summer of 2021.
Getty Images'Impossible to stop him'
Bayern Munich were particularly keen at the time, with then-coach Julian Nagelsmann making no secret of his admiration of the winger. "I've known about Chiesa for a long time," the German told , "and I find him exceptional because he often goes for a one-on-one, and then tries to shoot very quickly."
There was talk of the Bavarians bidding €100 million (£86m/$109m) for his services but, as far as Juve were concerned, Chiesa was priceless. He was to be the cornerstone of their new project, the dazzling dribbler that admired Ronaldo's work ethic and had developed a similar knack of stepping up to the mark in the biggest of games.
"After a season at Juve with Federico it is no longer a surprise for me," former team-mate Gigi Buffon told the after the Euros, "but it was not obvious when he arrived that he would be able to play at such a high level in a tournament like the European Championship. But he was unbelievable. In the final against England, it was impossible to stop him.
“When he joined Juve I didn't think he was so good, I have to be honest, but if you do those things at such a high level, then it means that you are really special."
AdvertisementGettyCruel twist of fate
However, Chiesa's development has since been cruelly checked by awfully bad lack. Not only has he been blighted by incessant injuries – Chiesa has been sidelined on 17 separate occasions over the past three seasons – he also had the dreadful misfortune to have Massimiliano Allegri as a manager.
Chiesa scored 14 times during his first season at Juve. He's managed just 18 since, though. The drastic dip in productivity can be partially attributed to the cruciate ligament tear he suffered in January 2022 that ruled him out of 10 months, but Allegri's painfully negative tactics caused Chiesa just as much pain.
Getty Images'Always the first to be taken off!'
Juve were utterly unwatchable for nearly every game of Allegri's second spell in Turin, with the coach rather indefensibly adopting a provincial mentality to managing the biggest club in the country. The net result was talented players being utterly wasted in a system ill-suited to their skillset, with Dusan Vlahovic, for example, so often left completely isolated as games passed him by.
Chiesa, though, was the biggest victim of Allegri's anti-football. One of the world's most exciting wingers was repeatedly played out of position as a central attacker and whenever he drifted wide, Allegri could be seen screaming at Chiesa to get back into the middle.
Consequently, the frustrated forward was regularly withdrawn for failing to do what was asked of him – usually around the 60-minute mark – and his displeasure was obvious. Indeed, on one occasion last season, he was even spotted shaking his head while lamenting, "I am always the first to be taken off!"
(C)Getty ImagesNew coach, no difference
In that context, Allegri's long overdue sacking should have been good news for Chiesa, particularly as the dour Tuscan's replacement, Thiago Motta, is a far more progressive coach who relies heavily on wingers in his preferred 4-1-4-1 formation. However, the 26-year-old is actually heading for the exit door himself now. In this regard, though, Chiesa arguably only has himself to blame.
Juve were keen to extend his contract – but on pretty much the same terms as his previous deal. Chiesa's agent has denied claims that he was seeking a significant pay rise for his client, but it's clear that that the two parties had wildly contrasting views on the winger's worth.
The net result is that Chiesa is set to become the first major casualty of the revolution that Motta and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli are overseeing at Juve. He won't be the last, though.