Liverpool manager Arne Slot expressed enthusiasm for the signing of Federico Chiesa, a versatile 26-year-old attacker from Juventus, but emphasized a cautious approach to integrating him into the team.
Chiesa, who joined for €12 million plus €3 million in add-ons, is unlikely to make his debut against Manchester United on Sunday, as Slot plans a gradual introduction to ensure a smooth transition.
“He works really hard, on and off the pitch, to try to get the best out of him, and he combines this with scoring goals,” Slot said on Friday. “Really aggressive without the ball… can play in so many positions.
“We should take care of him in the beginning because he didn’t train with the team in the last two weeks… we will build him up in the right way and hopefully we can see his quality in the near future.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot dismissed worries about Federico Chiesa’s injury history, which caused him to miss several games last season, and expressed confidence in the Italian’s ability to stay healthy and contribute to the team.
“It’s true that he had a long-term injury with his (anterior cruciate ligament) but, for the rest, I don’t think he had big injuries,” Slot said.
“Minor injuries like every other player maybe. But again, we have a lot of trust in our support staff.”
Arne Slot is eager to return to Old Trafford, a venue where he experienced a 4-0 defeat with AZ Alkmaar in 2019, but this time he’s looking for a better outcome with Liverpool, who are currently on a winning streak with two consecutive Premier League victories, unlike Manchester United, who suffered a loss to Brighton last weekend.
“Many of these players have played there before so I don’t think I have to prepare them for the 75,000 (spectators); they’ve been used to this,” Slot said.
“I have prepared them in the best possible way for what they can expect because United play, in my opinion, a bit different than the last two seasons.”
