Liverpool have yet to kick into gear in the transfer market this time around – although that's not for the want of trying.
In different circumstances, Arne Slot could already have his first new face in the door, with The Athletic having revealed that discussions had been held earlier this summer regarding a £75m move for Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon, with Joe Gomez in line to move in the other direction for £45m.
That pre-PSR deadline proposal ultimately didn't come to fruition, however, although that may not be the end of the saga, with rumours rife that another offer for the Englishman could emerge before the end of the window.
As evidenced by that £75m fee, the 23-year-old is likely to cost an arm and a leg as far as the Merseysiders are concerned, with there no harm in considering worthy alternatives who could arrive on the cheap.
Liverpool's potential Gordon alternatives
One name that has been doing the rounds of late is Juventus outcast, Federico Chiesa, with the Euro 2020 winner seeking a new home having been informed that he is not in the plans of new boss Thiago Motta in Turin.
As per CaughtOffside, Liverpool are believed to be among the suitors for the Italy international – alongside the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea – although no concrete offer has been made as yet.
The report outlines that the 26-year-old salary demands may prove a sticking point for any interested party, although to counterbalance that, the suggestion is that Juve would accept a bid of between £10m-£13m in the final two weeks of the window.
How Chiesa compares to Anthony Gordon
There's no denying that 2023/24 was a standout season for Gordon at St James' Park, with the boyhood Red having reached double figures for both goals and assists in the Premier League, while subsequently earning a place in Gareth Southgate's European Championship squad.
The youngster's talent is unquestionable, yet it would be wrong to say he is the finished article, having scored just eight top-flight goals across the previous two campaigns combined.
Still a rather raw, rising star, Gordon cannot compete with the experience of Chiesa, with the Italian represent something of an upgrade in that sense, having regularly proven himself at the elite level.
The star of the show during the Azzurri's triumph three years ago, the wing wizard scored twice en route to the final, with compatriot Gigi Buffon even describing him as "impossible to stop" during the showpiece win over England.
While it has been a tale of injury woes since then, the £150k-per-week sensation still boasts 55 goal involvements in just 131 games for his current side, after previously chalking up 60 goals and assists in 153 outings for Fiorentina.
There are three years between the pair, but Gordon, meanwhile, racked up just 15 goals and assists in 78 games for the Toffees, while also failing to contribute at all during a loan stint at Preston North End – albeit while chipping in with 24 goal contributions in just 64 games for the Magpies.
Stat (per 90)
Chiesa
Gordon
Non-penalty goals
0.33
0.27
Assists
0.08
0.27
Shot-creating actions
4.79
4.17
Pass completion
69.9%
76.3%
Progressive passes
2.87
3.08
Progressive carries
4.55
4.03
Successful take-ons
1.43
1.57
Touches in the opposition box
5.33
4.38
Progressive passes received
8.85
7.17
As represented in the table above, it is rather tight with regard to the duo's respective records, with it perhaps coming down to Chiesa's elite level experience as to why he could represent a potential upgrade – having also registered eight goals and assists in just 13 career games in the Champions League.
Of course, landing a homegrown, local talent like Gordon would go down well at Anfield, yet the chance to land an attacking sensation like Chiesa on the cheap could be too good to turn down. Even said to be "like a young Luis Suarez character" by Joe Cole, this move is a no-brainer, surely?
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