Federico Chiesa could leave Liverpool on loan in January

Liverpool are reportedly considering a January loan move for summer signing Federico Chiesa to help him secure regular first-team football.

There was significant excitement among Liverpool fans when the Italy international joined from Juventus in late August on a four-year deal for a fee potentially rising to £12.5m (€15m).

However, the 27-year-old has seen limited action under Arne Slot, accumulating just 78 minutes across three appearances.

Slot has expressed sympathy for Chiesa, acknowledging that the player’s lack of pre-season preparation has impacted his readiness for the physical demands of the Premier League.

According to Italian publication Calciomercato, Liverpool are now evaluating the option of loaning Chiesa back to Serie A for the second half of the season, with Inter Milan and Roma reportedly interested.

While Chiesa has only been with the Merseyside club for under two months, circumstances could shift for the Italian international.

Ahead of Liverpool’s 1-0 Champions League victory over RB Leipzig on Wednesday, former Feyenoord boss Slot shed light on Chiesa’s limited playing time.

Despite initial hopes that Federico Chiesa would compete with players like Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz on the wings, his impact has yet to materialise.

“With Federico, it’s a bit more simple; although it’s more difficult, but it’s a bit more simple to explain,” Slot told reporters.

“He missed a complete pre-season, I said this many times, and going to a league where the intensity might even be higher than the Italian league.

“We just faced the two Italian teams [Milan and Bologna in the Champions League], so I can say this now.

“So that makes it difficult for him to make the step towards the intensity levels the rest of the team is at at the moment.

“That has not so much to do with the Italian league or the Premier League, that has more to do with him missing a complete pre-season and that is so difficult for every player – when the games are constantly there – to build them up towards the levels we are at.

“So, difficult to say, but it’s a big disappointment for him that he is going in and out of the training sessions all the time. I feel sorry for him.”

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