Arne Slot has provided a fresh injury update on the fitness of Federico Chiesa ahead of the EFL Cup clash with Brighton, as his frustrating start to life in a Reds shirt continues.
The Italian moved to Anfield from Juventus in the summer transfer window, in a move that arguably came as a surprise to some, given the attacking depth already in the squad.
Chiesa has struggled to make an impact at Liverpool so far, however, featuring for just 18 minutes in the Premier League and earning just one start, coming in the EFL Cup.
Speaking on Tuesday ahead of the Reds’ cup trip to Brighton [via This Is Anfield], Slot admitted that he can’t say exactly when the 27-year-old will be available again:
“Federico, I’m not expecting him to be in the squad tomorrow. How long? That’s always difficult to say, because he goes a bit up and down. Sometimes he’s there with us, trains a few days, and then goes out for injury again.
“I don’t want to put days or weeks on it, because I think we just have to make sure he gets in the best possible shape. I don’t want to put any pressure on him by coming up with dates.”
Our thoughts on Chiesa’s continued absence…
When Chiesa joined Liverpool, the immediate thought from many was that the Reds were signing an injury-prone player – one who lit up Euro 2020 en route to glory with Italy but who has struggled to reach his potential since.
An ACL problem was particularly serious, and while some felt that the former Juve man had overcome his fitness issues, having featured in 33 Serie A games last season, it appears as though they were wrong.
It is too early to know if Liverpool’s gamble in signing Chiesa has paid off, but it is hard not to shrug off the feeling that those initial fears about him are coming true.
Hopefully, it is also a case of Slot managing him carefully, having not had a proper pre-season in the summer and still getting him used to his playing style, but frustration is now understandably growing among the fanbase.
