Federico Chiesa has admitted he needs more regular minutes and has left the door open to leaving Liverpool this summer. Across two campaigns he has made 50 appearances for Liverpool, contributing 10 goal involvements, but he has started only nine times. That lack of continuity is the central reason Chiesa is considering his future.

“I want to play and if I don’t find continuity in the Premier League I’ll need to find it elsewhere,” the 28-year-old told Gazzetta dello Sport. “This season just gone, I got next to no minutes. I’ll go to the U.S. for preseason, then I’ll talk to the club and Iraola and we’ll see.”

Chiesa was frank about the period since the start of 2026 and his relationship with Liverpool. “I’ve honestly not played a lot since the start of 2026. I’ve got a great relationship with Liverpool. Back in January the club and Slot said I couldn’t leave. They needed me. It was about numbers. We were in crisis.

“I understood the situation and stayed, keeping a smile on my face. We’re still talking about Liverpool. Last year they allowed me to win the Premier League .”

Despite a reported good relationship with the club, the prevailing expectation is that Chiesa will move on and likely return to Serie A. Several Italian clubs are mentioned repeatedly as potential destinations. Napoli may be interested, particularly after recent success recruiting Premier League departures such as Scott McTominay, Rasmus Højlund and Romelu Lukaku. That pursuit may be tempered by managerial uncertainty in Naples after Antonio Conte’s exit and the speculation linking Massimiliano Allegri to the role, given Chiesa’s reported fallout with Allegri at Juventus.

Roma’s return to the 2026–27 Champions League after seven years away positions them to strengthen a squad described in the draft as relatively mediocre; Roma were linked with Chiesa previously, though Gian Piero Gasperini’s 3-4-2-1 system may not suit the winger. AC Milan are also mentioned as a remote option while they search for a successor to Massimiliano Allegri and look for a replacement for Rafael Leão, but their lack of Champions League football would limit their appeal. Any transfer involving Chiesa appears likely to hinge on managerial clarity and the promise of more minutes.

Rasmus Højlund has completed a permanent transfer to Napoli following a season-long loan with the Italian club. The total package, including the loan fee, is reported at $58.1 million (£43.2 million). United could not recuperate their initial fee, but ESPN reports the sale is expected to fund Atalanta midfielder Éderson’s transfer.

Under Antonio Conte, Højlund rebuilt his form in Naples, finishing the loan with 16 goals and eight assists in 44 appearances across all competitions. The numbers offered the striker a fresh start after two difficult seasons at Manchester United, where he had arrived amid a significant transfer outlay and struggled for consistency.

Højlund’s time in England included a debut campaign that produced 16 goals despite injury problems and a side that finished eighth in the Premier League. He required 15 league matches to open his account at the top level, but produced a strong start in the Champions League, scoring five times in his first four appearances. Overall for United he scored 26 goals in 95 appearances.

The 2024–25 season proved especially challenging. Minutes declined under Ruben Amorim and Højlund managed just four Premier League goals and six in the Europa League that campaign. The club’s acquisition of Benjamin Šeško last summer contributed to the decision to move the striker on in search of more playing time.

United underwent significant change while Højlund thrived in Italy. The club dismissed Amorim and appointed Michael Carrick as caretaker, who removed the previous back three and moved Bruno Fernandes back to the No. 10 role. Under Carrick the team lost only two matches, climbed the Premier League table, finished third and secured a return to the Champions League. Carrick was later made permanent manager and prioritised finding a successor to Casemiro as the club prepares for an expanded schedule next season.

Rasmus Højlund will leave Manchester United once the summer window opens, with his loan at Napoli becoming a permanent transfer after the Serie A side clinched Champions League qualification.

Napoli’s 3–0 victory at Pisa secured a top-four finish with one match remaining. Højlund scored the third goal in stoppage time, a strike that triggered a $51.2 million (£38.4 million) transfer that will be completed in the coming weeks. The deal means Højlund will not return to Manchester United and avoids the uncertainty affecting Marcus Rashford’s future at this moment in time.

Antonio Conte has used Højlund as his preferred No. 9 this season, a role made easier by Romelu Lukaku missing months through injury. The 23-year-old striker has scored 11 goals in Serie A and 15 in all competitions, one fewer than he managed for Manchester United in 2023–24.

The fee represents a loss on United’s initial 2023 outlay for the player from Atalanta, which began at $81.9 million. United will recoup just over 60% of that figure. The sale nonetheless brings a substantial sum into the club and clears a player who was regarded as surplus to requirements after Benjamin Šeško arrived.

Højlund posted on Instagram shortly after the final whistle:

“This goal felt symbolic because it means two things. We now secured Champions League with Napoli, which means because of my contract I’m now officially a Napoli player and I’m saying goodbye to Manchester United,” he wrote on Instagram . “That feels weird, because for the past year I already feel like a Napoli player. The way you fans supported me, made me feel like home and let me find my confidence again is something I’m so grateful for.

“To say goodbye to Manchester United is something that kinda feels emotional too. My childhood dream came true by playing at Old Trafford in a red jersey. So the goal today symbolizes a new confident start, in which I will give everything for the time ahead to Napoli, and a thank you to all the fans, players and staff of Manchester United who made the dream I had as a kid come true. It’s time for new dreams, so let’s chase them.

Højlund’s No. 9 shirt has not been worn since the final day of the 2024–25 Premier League season, a year and a week ago, and will soon be officially vacated. The club faces a decision over who, if anyone, will wear the No. 9 next season, though United are not expected to prioritise a striker in the upcoming market. Central midfield, left wing, left back and goalkeeper are higher priority positions.