Federico Chiesa
Image Credits: Getty Images
Federico Chiesa has not enjoyed the debut campaign at Liverpool he would have wanted.
Despite flashes of potential, the winger has managed only 123 minutes of action across all competitions, with injuries and fitness setbacks derailing his progress.
His sole start came in September 2024, and since then, opportunities have been scarce, even in matches where Liverpool dominated, such as their 6-3 aggregate victory over Tottenham in December.
Chiesa’s exclusion from Luciano Spalletti’s Italy squads this 2024/25 campaign has further underlined his diminished standing. With just 11 appearances for Liverpool, the winger has fallen out of favour at international level.
But despite the lack of gametime for the Reds, Arne Slot has revealed that he knows he can ‘trust’ the Italy international whenever he’s called upon:
“It was good to see he impacted the game when he came on. It’s good to see all these players are ready, but he’s in competition with Mo Salah. That makes it tough for him, but we know we can trust him the moment we need him.”
With Salah’s contract expiring and Barcelona circling around Luis Diaz, it would make sense to keep hold of the 27-year-old for another season.
And as Liverpool require five wins from their final nine Premier League games to secure the title, Slot may yet turn to Chiesa as a fresh option off the bench, particularly given his sharp cameo at Wembley.
The Italian is also two appearances shy of qualifying for a guaranteed Premier League winner’s medal—a minor but symbolic incentive for both player and club
Want to get the latest Liverpool news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.