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Arne Slot explains Federico Chiesa's chances of game time with signing yet to make Liverpool debut

-Credit: (Image: 2024 Liverpool FC)
-Credit: (Image: 2024 Liverpool FC)


Arne Slot unsurprisingly confirmed that Federico Chiesa is set to be named among Liverpool's substitutes against AC Milan in the Champions League.

Chiesa is yet to feature in a matchday squad for the Reds but was included in the 23-man squad that flew to Italy on Monday.

The 26-year-old winger has not played a competitive match since Italy's Euro 2024 defeat by Switzerland back in June but could make his debut at the San Siro.

Explaining his decision to sign Chiesa, Slot said: "I always like to bring in quality players and I think he's a quality player that combines quality with an enormous work rate. Works hard without the ball and combines this with scoring goals, and he can play several positions.

"He is in our team selection (squad) for the first time, it would be a big surprise for everybody if he would start tomorrow. I don't think you should expect that he will start but he should make a few minutes if we need him. He's been training on his own at Juve for a long time, it's too early for him to play 90 minutes but hopefully he can make his first minutes in the upcoming fixtures."

Slot, meanwhile, suggested that Alexis Mac Allister is set to start after being brought off around an hour into Saturday's defeat by Nottingham Forest.

Mac Allister suffered a knock while playing for Argentina against Chile on September 6 and the problem restricted him to a substitute role against Colombia four days later.

"I think you saw I took him off after 60 minutes against Forest," Slot added. "That also had to do with him not playing the full 90 minutes for the national team - so that had a bit to do with rotation. But I think he's able to play again, 60 or 90 minutes. He's definitely an important player for us."