Federico Chiesa - Too Early to Worry?

Even with his recent contribution in the win against Bournemouth, Arne Slot failed to include Chiesa in his recent Champion's League squad. This may not raise eyebrows since he recently came back from his injuries and Slot probably wants to ease him into squad.

But with the inclusion of 17-year old Rio Ngumoha over him, there may be concerns regarding his future at he club. The young teenager recently also made his mark on his Premier League debut in the epic win 3-2 against 10-man Newcastle.

However, in an interview conducted few weeks back, Arne Slot had said that fans would see more of Chiesa in a Liverpool shirt this season. While this remains to be seen, the early signs are worrying for the Italian footballer.

Our squad list for this season’s @ChampionsLeague has been confirmed 👊🔴

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 4, 2024

More Playing Time in the League?

With the arrival of Alexander Isak from Newcastle, this further compound his woes. This reduces his chances for game time even across the domestic league. Slot predominantly plays with a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 hybrid formation, with Mohammed Salah a certified starter on the right wing.

On the left, he has featured Cody Gakpo and with Hugo Ekitike in the centre forward position. What remains to be seen is if he intends to play one of Isak/Ekitike on the left and the other in the middle, ultimately pushing Gakpo to the bench.

Currently, Chiesa seems to be the fifth-choice attacker in the pecking order behind, Salah, Isak, Hugo, Gakpo, with him and Ngumoha battling it out for that 5th place, a battle he seems to be losing.

National Team Stance

In the recent call-ups for the Italian national team, Chiesa was also omitted from the squad, with the coach Genaro Gattuso citing his injury woes as a reason for his omission.

He also stated in a press conference that it was a mutual decision with Chiesa to keep him out of the squad, as the player stated that he still didn't feel a 100%. Chiesa has been a major part of the National team since his days at Fiorentina, despite his recent 1-year hiatus from the team.

What does the Future Hold for Chiesa?

As it stands, Chiesa just has to try and stay fit and be ready for opportunities that may come his way as the season progresses. He's an outstanding player on his day and at 27 he's just entering his prime as an attacker, see Ousmane Dembele for instance. However, another prolonged period on the sidelines may spell doom for his once promising career.

Also, as he works to regain fitness and join the Italian National team later in the future, he can be a senior figure in a relatively young team and share his experience and leadership qualities.