Liverpool now look set to have winger Federico Chiesa back in action after the international break, following a significant hint from a new Reds signing.
The Italian has again suffered an injury-plagued start to the new season, with his Anfield career simply not taking off since he joined from Juventus in 2024, making only 50 appearances in that time.
Chiesa is yet to feature for a single minute in 2026/27, which given the lack of wide options on the right wing, hasn’t been ideal for Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola.
Now, in quotes provided by This Is Anfield, new young Reds goalkeeper signing Hayden Smith has revealed that he has been training alongside the 28-year-old and others, suggesting his return to the fold is close:
“I was just training and they told me to come in and go up there, to the AXA, to train with Chiesa and McConnell. It’s crazy to think, you see them on the telly and then you’re training with them. It was good, it was a good experience.”
Last chance saloon for Federico Chiesa at Liverpool?
Chiesa’s time at Liverpool has been underwhelming, with the winger not the same player who shone so brightly for Italy at Euro 2020 and helped them win the competition.
A recent report suggests the Reds will put him on the market in the January transfer window, so this upcoming period feels like a last chance to show Iraola he is worth sticking with.
It may be that Liverpool have already made their mind up with Chiesa, however, even though Virgil van Dijk has spoken so glowingly about him as a teammate in the past:
“Fede is an amazing character, he works so hard and has been unlucky with injuries but we are all here for him and we all know what kind of impact he could have. He’s a great character and we all love him, I think everyone can see that, and he’s loved by the fans, and to produce moments like he has [against Bournemouth] is something we all want to see.”
The brutal reality for Chiesa is that there are other injured players whose return to the side feels more important, from Conor Bradley to Hugo Ekitike, and the former Juve man feels increasingly like an expendable figure who is well past his best.
Liverpool signing him always came with its risks two years ago, considering he had suffered an ACL injury before his arrival at Anfield, and it has ultimately been a transfer that hasn’t paid off, despite his likeable personality.
Selling him in the January window would be best for everyone, unless Chiesa suddenly finds a new gear from nowhere, but that feels extremely unlikely currently.
It is hard to see how he is going to feature often in the next three months, with the likes of Bradley Barcola, Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha and Victor Munoz ahead of him in the pecking order, so he is unlikely to play many more times for Liverpool unless a host of injuries arrive.