New Italy coach Gattuso sends emphatic message to Federico Chiesa amid Liverpool exit rumours | OneFootball

Less than week into his reign as Italy head coach, Gennaro Gattuso has already laid down the law to Federico Chiesa.

It’s coming up to a full year since the Liverpool forward last played for his country (in their 2-0 defeat to Switzerland which knocked them out of Euro 2024), and the 27-year-old hasn’t even been called up for the Azzurri in the meantime (Transfermarkt).

His case hasn’t been helped by injury problems and a struggle for game-time since coming to Anfield, having played just 466 minutes in the whole of last season.

Gattuso issues game-time ultimatum to Chiesa

Having recently replaced Luciano Spalletti as Italy boss, Gattuso’s first games in charge will be a World Cup qualifying double header in early September, prior to which the Reds will play the Community Shield and three Premier League matches.

It remains to be seen how much (or if) Chiesa features in those fixtures for Liverpool – or if he’s even still at the club by then – but the 47-year-old has sent an emphatic message to our number 14 in his first few days in the job.

As shared by Fabrizio Romano via X, the new Azzurri head coach said: “Chiesa must play more; it’s important. Our doors are always open but we want Fede to play on regular basis.”

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Will Chiesa leave Liverpool in order to boost Italy selection prospects?

Gattuso’s message to the 27-year-old has echoes of what Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson had often told Caoimhin Kelleher, the long-time backup to Alisson Becker at Liverpool who recently joined Brentford in search of more regular game-time.

It’s quite possible that Chiesa might heed the words of his country’s new coach – as we exclusively reported on Empire of the Kop earlier this week, the forward would desire a return to his homeland and is open to joining Napoli, who along with Fiorentina and AC Milan have shown an interest in him.

Italy will hope to be involved at the World Cup next summer (especially after their shock absence from the last two editions), and the Reds’ number 14 will realise that his window of opportunity to play at the tournament – should his nation qualify – has been increasingly narrowing.

How much of a part he plays in pre-season, and in our first couple of competitive games of 2025/26 in mid-August, should offer an informed clue as to how much he’d be utilisied by Arne Slot throughout the campaign if he stays at Anfield.

We’d certainly hate to see Chiesa moving on after less than a year at Liverpool, but with Gattuso’s message ringing in his ears, we couldn’t blame the 27-year-old if he feels that he has a big decision to make in the next couple of months.