Liverpool on High Alert for Potential January Free Transfer to Replace ‘Disappointing’ Federico Chiesa: Report
Liverpool may seek to capitalize on a burgeoning situation abroad and secure a free transfer in January, especially after Federico Chiesa’s difficult six months at Anfield.
So far, under Arne Slot’s management, Chiesa has been the only signing to actually be presented at the club, yet he has only accumulated 78 minutes of play across all competitions due to injuries and a lack of fitness.
Liverpool icon Dietmar Hamann has referred to the signing as a “nightmare” overall, but there might be more promising prospects ahead as the club’s management aims for smarter acquisitions in the approaching transfer window.
Liverpool on red alert regarding Dani Olmo’s situation at Barcelona
According to a report by The Athletic , Barcelona may lose Dani Olmo for free in January, even after acquiring him for £50m from RB Leipzig over the summer. The Spanish player will not be eligible to compete for the Catalan club starting January 1, 2025, due to ongoing complications involving La Liga’s salary regulations.
La Liga imposes yearly salary caps to prevent excessive spending, establishing these limits based on each club’s operating costs. Barcelona has consistently been on the edge of this limit, meaning new signings frequently await the departure of current squad members for proper registration—if there’s any capacity left after that.
Although Barcelona finalized Olmo’s deal on August 9, they did not officially register him with La Liga until August 27, due to the agreed wages being excessively high and breaching La Liga’s salary cap. Registration was only achieved when Andreas Christensen suffered an injury that sidelined him for four months—an instance where La Liga permits clubs to register a replacement player whose wages are 80 percent or less of the original player’s.
However, since Olmo’s new contract significantly surpasses Christensen’s salary, rather than being reduced by the necessary 20 percent, Barcelona received a temporary permit to register Olmo for just four months. As this allowance concludes on December 31, Olmo will not be recognized as a Barcelona player starting January 1 unless the situation is resolved.
As reported by Mundo Deportivo last week, Olmo has a clause in his contract permitting him to leave for free if he remains unregistered by that deadline. While The Athletic indicates he hopes to stay in Catalonia, it is unlikely he would endure a six-month wait without the chance to play.
This leads Liverpool to potentially seize the opportunity by presenting an offer in the upcoming January transfer window. The Reds expressed strong interest in acquiring the 26-year-old over the summer following his impressive performance at Euro 2024 and might seek to rekindle negotiations.
Currently leading the Premier League and aiming to build on a strong season start, Arne Slot will certainly want to bolster his squad in January. In eScored‘s perspective, this is a situation worth monitoring closely—Olmo is a top player who may not want to linger for Barcelona to negotiate further financial resolutions, especially with Liverpool poised to make a competitive offer.
