'Incredible' Liverpool player has surely just confirmed that he's not leaving Reds anytime soon - opinion
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Liverpool players have returned to Merseyside as they gear up for a crucial time of the season.
The Reds have made an impressive start under Arne Slot and with no international football until March they have the chance to really cement themselves as trophy challengers.
That began in earnest on Friday, with the Liverpool squad being put through their paces at a snowy AXA Training Centre before Sunday’s trip to Southampton.
Liverpool are a little hit by injury for the game, with the likes of Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harvey Elliott, Diogo Jota and Federico Chiesa still unavailable.
The news that Chiesa is not yet ready to return is particularly frustrating. The 27-year-old has played just three times for the Reds since his arrival in August and there have even been rumours that Chiesa is unhappy at Liverpool and wants to leave in January.
However, after the Italian was spotted at the Liverpool training ground on Friday, leaving the Reds looks like being the furthest thing from his mind.
Federico Chiesa looks happy at Liverpool
Reports that Chiesa could leave Liverpool in the New Year were exclusively originating back in Italy.
Quite where these rumours have come from is unclear, but Slot himself has since denied that the No.14 will be moved on quite so quickly.
It has understandably been a difficult time for Chiesa after joining late on in the transfer window and without a pre-season.
But in truth, the former Juventus man has looked delighted whenever he’s been spotted at the Liverpool training ground over the past three months.
READ MORE: Whether Inter Milan are really planning to try and sign Federico Chiesa in January
And judging by his reactions during LFCTV’s Inside Training video on Friday, Chiesa is settling in wonderfully well at Anfield.
The Italy international was seen having a joke with Mohamed Salah out on the pitches and even as the hail came down, Chiesa covered his head and displayed a smile as wide as the Mersey.
If Fede is unhappy with his experience at Liverpool so far, then someone should really tell him. This is not a player who is looking to go anywhere.
Liverpool set to see the best of Federico Chiesa
Although Slot confirmed in his pre-Southampton press conference that Chiesa is not yet ready to play again, he did say that the forward would be partially involved in training.
And judging by what we saw on camera at Kirkby on Friday, Chiesa was taking part in a fair amount of the session.
He was in the thick of the warm-ups, was there for the rondos and was even playing during some small-sided games.
Fans have had to be patient with Chiesa as the Liverpool coaching staff get him up to speed. But hopefully that will all pay off over the coming months when he is back to his explosive best.
Former Fiorentina manager Paulo Sousa called Chiesa an ‘incredible’ signing back in September and although that excitement has since been tempered by his unavailability for Liverpool, there’s still plenty of time for supporters to see the best of him. Fede is here to stay.
