Federico Chiesa of Liverpool during the Liverpool v AS Monaco Pre-Season friendly match at Anfield, Liverpool, England on 9 August 2026 Credit: Ben Roberts/Every Second Media
Federico Chiesa of Liverpool during the Liverpool v AS Monaco Pre-Season friendly match at Anfield, Liverpool, England on 9 August 2026 Credit: Ben Roberts/Every Second Media
Federico Chiesa has played just a handful of minutes for Liverpool under Andoni Iraola this season. The 29-year-old has struggled for opportunities at club level and has unsurprisingly been left out of Italy’s squad for the current international break.
He last represented his country in 2024. Liverpool forward was named in Gennaro Gattuso’s first Italy squad ahead of the World Cup play-offs earlier this year, but subsequently withdrew.
He was also omitted from the squad announced in June, while Mancini did not select him for his first squad during the previous international break.
Having been left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad for the league phase, Chiesa faces an uncertain future at Anfield.
With several players, including Lewis Koumas, seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order, opportunities could be difficult to come by.
A January departure may therefore be the most realistic option, with the Italian forward having regularly been linked with several Serie A clubs since joining Liverpool just over two years ago.
Italy manager Roberto Mancini insists Federico Chiesa still has a future with the national team but must first return to playing regular football at club level.
“I spoke to Federico many times, also recently,” Mancini said during a press conference. “He’s not playing right now and must regain fitness, but he is 29, still in his physical maturity; I think he can return soon.”
Chiesa has continued to struggle with fitness issues during the early stages of the 2026/27 season. A back injury ruled him out of Liverpool’s first five Premier League matches, but he has since made just one appearance, playing only two minutes at the end of the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.
The Italian has also been left out of Liverpool’s squad for three of their last four matches. Federico Chiesa has made 51 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, scoring five goals and providing five assists. However, the majority of his appearances have come from the bench.
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