Federico Chiesa has a WORLD-CLASS skill that will make Liverpool TERRIFYING
Federico Chiesa boasts an incredible skill that explains exactly why Liverpool jumped at the chance to bag the bargain signing.
Liverpool signed Federico Chiesa as the transfer window came to a close. It's a signing that immediately looks like the ultimate Moneyball deal - a player who would have cost around £100m a couple of years ago, signed for a 10th of that.
The Reds may have found their Mohamed Salah replacement for a bargain fee. At the very least, they signed one of the most entertaining wingers in Europe. If he stays fit and consistent, that is.
➡️ READ MORE: Liverpool star SLAMMED for moment vs Man United
But what makes him entertaining? There are two very quick ways to answer that. The first is simply by watching Chiesa - the way he drives forward on and off the ball, the energy in his running, his desire to try things - his talent is abundantly clear.
The other way is to take one quick look at his data. Chiesa has several stats that stand out but one is there above all: his ability to create chances.
Federico Chiesa makes things happen
Now, we don't mean 'create chances' in the traditional sense - Chiesa isn't a player constantly searching for assists. Instead, we're looking at the fancy way of judging it.
Shot-Creating Actions are those 'actions' on the ball (passing, dribbling, shooting, pressing/tackling, winning a free-kick) that directly lead to your team having a shot. Specifically, it's judged as 'creating' if it's one of the two actions preceding said shot.
Liverpool's team is loaded with players like this. Of the top 15 players for SCA in the Premier League last season, the Reds had six. No other team had more than two.
Chiesa's stats over the last 365 days would make it seven of the top 16. He averaged 4.96 SCA per 90 minutes in that time frame. Equalling that last season in the Premier League would have put him just below Andy Robertson and just ahead of Mohamed Salah.
To hammer home just how similar his numbers are, the player below Salah is Dominik Szoboszlai. The two above Robertson are Harvey Elliott and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Climb one Pascal Gross higher than that and you find Luis Diaz.
In other words, Chiesa fits right in.
Chiesa's speciality isn't finishing chances or generating assists - it's making things happen. When he's on the pitch, he gets involved in the team having shots, even if he's not necessarily the one having the shot or playing the final pass.
Adding yet another player like this into Liverpool's forward line feels simultaneously like overkill and a no-brainer. And for £10m, why not go for overkill?
Arne Slot has yet another player at his disposal who can unlock defences. Another rotation piece or someone full of fresh ideas to worry teams from out wide.
There are doubts over his consistency post-injury, of course, and Slot will have a hell of a time finding minutes for everyone. But this was a natural transfer to make - one worth every small risk that could end up leaving an already-scary Liverpool looking absolutely terrifying.