Federico Chiesa, the new signing for Liverpool, is facing the challenge of getting up to speed quickly after his £12.5 million move from Juventus. The 26-year-old has not played any football since the Euros with Italy, where he featured in all four games until they were eliminated in the round of 16.
Being frozen out at Juventus led to his bargain switch to Anfield, but it has also left him lacking match sharpness. As a result, there are doubts about his availability for the upcoming match against Manchester United. Arne Slot, Liverpool’s manager, expressed this uncertainty by saying, “There is a bigger chance that he is not in the squad than he is.”
To integrate Chiesa into Liverpool’s matchday squad, he will need time to train and regain his fitness. Fortunately for him, he will not be joining the Italy squad for the September international break. This could be a blessing in disguise as it allows him to focus solely on training with his new team. Additionally, his absence from the Italy squad may be attributed to his lack of game time.
Luciano Spalletti, the Italy national team manager, recently announced his 23-man squad for the UEFA Nations League matches against France and Israel. Chiesa was notably absent from the list, possibly due to his lack of recent playing time. This absence gives Chiesa the opportunity to stay in Liverpool and concentrate on training. With this dedicated focus, he could progress quickly and potentially make his debut for Liverpool against Nottingham Forest on September 14.
While most of the senior Liverpool squad has been called up for international duty, there are a few players, including Joe Gomez, Curtis Jones, and Vitezslav Jaros, who have been overlooked. Darwin Nunez will also not be in action as he serves a five-game ban for Uruguay following his involvement in unsavory incidents after their Copa America semi-final against Colombia.
During the international fixtures, it is likely that Slot will grant the non-international players a customary break. However, each player will still follow a training program to maintain their fitness levels.
Chiesa’s situation is reminiscent of Ryan Gravenberch’s last year. The Dutchman also moved to Liverpool on deadline day but chose not to participate in duty with the Netherlands U21s to settle into his new surroundings. In Chiesa’s case, he was simply left out of the Italy squad, indicating that he may be reconsidered once he is fully up to speed with his new team.
Overall, while Chiesa’s lack of match sharpness may affect his immediate availability for Liverpool, his absence from the Italy squad and the opportunity to solely focus on training with his new team could work in his favor. With time and proper preparation, Chiesa has the potential to make a significant impact for Liverpool in the near future.