Revealed: Liverpool training plan for Federico Chiesa that blocked Italy call-up – Liverpool FC

Federico Chiesa was left out of the Italy squad for September’s international break at the request of his club, who have a plan in place for their new signing.

Liverpool brought Chiesa to Merseyside in the knowledge that the 26-year-old had neither played or trained at first-team level since the Euros, having been frozen out by Juventus

Chiesa is firmly in Italy manager Luciano Spalletti’s plans, however, which included a plan for him to join the squad for this month’s internationals.

But Spalletti has since revealed that a bespoke programme for their new arrival saw Liverpool veto a linkup with his national team.

“Chiesa and I spoke and made a fair assessment,” the Italy boss told reporters on Monday, per Football Italia.

“I would have brought him as an extra player, not participating in the games.

“He told me that he had spoken to his new club and that he needs to do specific preparation work with them.”

Meanwhile, Spalletti explained that Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali – who on Sunday played for the first time in 10 months due a betting ban – was called up to the squad as he had still “trained regularly.”

The inference is, then, that Chiesa will remain on Merseyside for the next fortnight in order to build up his fitness and work with Arne Slot‘s staff.

It came after the forward was omitted from the squad for Sunday’s 3-0 win over Man United despite being registered in time, instead watching from the stands having been deemed too much of a risk to include.

“We should take care of him in the beginning because he didn’t train with [Juventus] in the last two weeks, but before he did,” Slot told reporters ahead of that game.

“He hasn’t played many game minutes yet, but we have very good performance staff, and we will build him up in the right way and, hopefully, can see his quality in the near future.”

Liverpool are next in action on September 14, with Nottingham Forest visitors to Anfield in the Premier League, and it stands to reason that Chiesa could be involved by then.