Federico Chiesa ready to fight for Liverpool place after Arne Slot's sacking

Federico Chiesa is willing to fight for his future at Liverpool after Arne Slot’s sacking transformed the Italian winger’s prospects at Anfield, according to reports in Italy.

Chiesa made just one Premier League start during his debut season at the club and was widely expected to leave this summer, with Juventus and Serie A newcomers Como both linked with a move for the 28-year-old. A January return to Turin failed to materialise, but interest from his homeland has persisted.

Slot’s troubled second season — which saw Liverpool’s title defence collapse and the Dutchman dismissed at the end of May 2025 — appears to have inadvertently revived Chiesa’s Anfield career. The winger had a notoriously difficult relationship with Slot, mirroring the friction the former Feyenoord manager experienced with Mohamed Salah, who publicly criticised Slot before departing after nine years on Merseyside.

Chiesa had been candid about his situation before Slot’s exit. “If I don’t find consistency in the Premier League, I’ll have to look elsewhere,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I barely played in my first year at Liverpool, and in the last one, very little. I’ll go on a training camp in the US, then I’ll talk to the club and the new manager, Iraola, and we’ll see.”

That conversation with incoming head coach Andoni Iraola now appears likely to take a more positive tone. According to TuttoJuve, cited by Sport Witness, Chiesa is prepared to remain at Liverpool and compete for a starting role, with Slot’s departure directly credited with changing his thinking.

Liverpool have now undergone two managerial changes in three summers, with Iraola tasked with rebuilding a squad that surrendered its Premier League crown and saw several senior figures depart. For Chiesa, who arrived from Juventus in the summer of 2024 with considerable expectation, the reset offers a rare second chance to establish himself in English football.