“He doesn’t want…” – Ex-West Ham striker has a theory on why Chiesa is shunning Italy call-ups | OneFootball

A former Premier League striker has explained why he thinks Federico Chiesa has turned down several call-ups to the Italy squad in recent months.

Azzurri coach Gennaro Gattuso has consistently maintained that he’d like to have the Liverpool forward in his roster, but has insisted that the 28-year-old’s absence from the national team fold is on the player and not him.

The Reds’ number 14 hasn’t played for his country since joining Arne Slot’s side 15 months ago, with the most recent of his 51 caps coming in the Italians’ 2-0 loss to Switzerland at Euro 2024.

Di Michele on why Chiesa has snubbed Italy call-ups

In an interview with Tuttomercatoweb, David Di Michele – who spent a season on loan at West Ham in 2008/09 – voiced his admiration for Chiesa as a ‘fast, agile…important player’ and believes that the Anfield cult hero doesn’t want to play for his country unless he’s in prime condition to do so.

The 49-year-old said of the Liverpool attacker: “Today, he rightly wants to be mentally and physically fit first to be able to perform at his best. He doesn’t want to go to the national team and be a burden, perhaps replacing someone else.

“Making a name for himself at Liverpool isn’t easy; you have to be at 120% to compete with the others.”

(Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

Will unselfish Chiesa get the requisite opportunities at Liverpool?

If Di Michele’s theory is correct and Chiesa is reluctant to play for Italy at less than 100%, it reflects brilliantly on the 28-year-old’s character by putting the greater good of his nation ahead of any selfish desires.

He’s been widely praised for his attitude behind the scenes at Anfield, and he has been playing more frequently this season than last, featuring in 13 matches already this term compared to just 14 in his first campaign at the club.

However, he’s still largely reliant on substitute outings under Slot, and rumours of a potential exit from Merseyside in the next few months refuse to go away.

Chiesa will also realise that, at his age, he might only have a couple more opportunites to play in a World Cup, and he may well be determined to remain in Gattuso’s plans for the tournament play-offs in March ahead of next summer’s finals in North America.

With no international breaks for another four months, though, he has a prolonged window in which to build fitness and momentum at club level and possibly feel that he’s at the right level to end his Italy exile later this season.

In the meantime, hopefully he can make a decisive impression on the pitch for Liverpool, with Mo Salah’s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations next month providing him with the perfect opportunity to do just that.