Italy manager issues new verdict over Federico Chiesa's transfer to Liverpool - 'it is something'

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Federico Cheisa has endured injuries since joining Liverpool from Juventus in the summer transfer window.

Italy manager Luciano Spalleti has insisted that Federico Chiesa must build up his fitness before making a return to the national team.

Chiesa joined Liverpool from Juventus for £10 million on the penultimate day of the summer transfer window. But having been frozen out of the Italian outfit’s plans, he arrived on Merseyside without a full pre-season under his belt.

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Chiesa made three appearances but has missed the past five games because of a setback. Head coach Arne Slot put that down to the former Fiorentina man not being up to full sharpness and a return date has still to be given.

Chiesa has been omitted from Italy’s past two squads, although he hasn’t been jettisoned from Spalleti’s plans. That’s despite the Azzurri taking a new approach following their disappointing Euro 2024 campaign. But the Liverpool forward first needs to get up to speed, which means he’s unlikely to be called up for November’s international fixtures.

Speaking to DAZN, Spalleti said: “Before we started with different choices, now we have relied a bit more on talent, on players who run up 70 meters. It is clear that these specialized and specialist players must do it at a level that is the basis for building at a team level, if they do it below that level it becomes difficult for the team.”

However, Spalleti has supported Chiesa’s decision to leave his native Italy and make the move to the Premier League. He added: “It is always right to go and gain experience abroad, the young players who come out of the Primavera for example should force themselves to go and play abroad. I am thinking of [Riccardo] Calafiori, [Gianluigi] Donnarumma, in my opinion, it is something that everyone should do.”

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Spalleti has also not ruled out a recall for Mario Balotelli. The former Liverpool striker has returned to Serie A after signing for strugglers Genoa. He added: "We don't close the doors to anyone, we can't tell someone that they can't aim to get there. We have to absorb everything that is good in football and make it available to this team."

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