Arne Slot gives Liverpool fitness update on Federico Chiesa and Jeremie Frimpong

Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot congratulates Liverpool's Italian striker #14 Federico Chiesa after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on August 15, 2025. Liverpool won the game 4-2. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

placeholder image — Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot congratulates Liverpool's Italian striker #14 Federico Chiesa after the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on August 15, 2025. Liverpool won the game 4-2. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

Federico Chiesa scored the winning goal in Liverpool’s 4-2 victory over AFC Bournemouth on the opening day of the Premier League season.

Arne Slot has suggested that Federico Chiesa has a future at Liverpool after producing a match-winning cameo to inspire an opening-day victory.

Chiesa came off the bench to net an 88th-minute goal in the triumph over AFC Bournemouth. Liverpool appeared that they had thrown away a win in their maiden game of their Premier League title defence. Arne Slot's side took a two-goal lead through strikes from Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo.

Yet Bournemouth hit back with Antoine Semenyo firing a six-minute double. But Chiesa was thrown on to make a difference - and he obliged. The forward showed brilliant composure and technique to bag a volley with two minutes remaining. Mo Salah then fired in stoppage-time to deliver a 4-2 success.

It was Chiesa's maiden Premier League goal and he has largely been down the pecking order since signing from Juventus for £10 million last year. He has been linked with a return to Italy this summer, with Napoli and AC Milan among those reportedly keen.

Chiesa’s future addressed

Slot says that Chiesa’s fitness problems were why he did not feature too much in his maiden season on Merseyside. But the fact that the former Fiorentina man came up with such a big moment is a positive to be part of Slot’s upcoming plans.

The Liverpool head coach said: “As long as he is here he is definitely at Liverpool and I have no reason to believe something is going to change. He's had a hard time last season, getting his match fitness ready. Unfortunately for him, he missed out on our Asia tour as well, so then you miss quite a lot, but not only him - Joe Gomez the same and we've lost Conor Bradley.

“So, all my substitutions were also related to players who probably couldn't go for 90 minutes. Federico, when we needed him, I brought him in. At 2-2 you need your No.9, we brought him in and he delivered and that’s always positive for your future at the club.”

Frimpong injury update

A concern for Liverpool is that Jeremie Frimpong felt an issue with his hamstring. The summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen was surprisingly withdrawn in the 60th minute against Bournemouth along with fellow full-back Milos Kerkez. With Conor Bradley already absent, the Reds opted not take a risk with Frimpong.

Asked why the pair were taken off, Slot told Sky Sports: “That wasn’t out of luxury. That was because Jeremie Frimpong felt his hamstring at half-time and made a lot of sprints. He was doing quite well, but the other right full-back Conor Bradley is already out with an injury, so we don’t want to take the risk of losing another full-back.

“Then you could argue ‘why don’t you play Joe Gomez there?’, but he only had two sessions in pre-season so he wasn’t able to play half an hour, so we started with Wata [Endo]. Our left full-back, Milos Kerkez, is a player that I think the fans like – because every duel he goes all in! But when you have a yellow card already and you play Semenyo, that’s quite a worry.”