Celtic and Premier League rival eye Liverpool star left out of pre-season tour

Celtic and Fulham are considering moves for Liverpool star Federico Chiesa. The duo are interested in taking the Italian international on loan.

Chiesa, 27, was Liverpool's only summer signing 12 months ago but was not included in Arne Slot's pre-season plans. The attacker missed out on the squad that travelled to Asia on tour despite featuring against Stoke and Preston in the Merseyside club's first friendlies of the summer.

The Euro 2020 winner was said to have suffered a minor issue that was being assessed by Liverpool's medical staff. However, he was involved in training before his team-mates departed. The former Juventus star struggled to break into Liverpool's side last term after injury impacted his start to life at Anfield. And now Chiesa faces greater competition following the arrivals of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike in recent weeks.

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Nevertheless, there appears to be no shortage of interest in the player's signature. Reports suggest Celtic and Fulham have been monitoring Chiesa's situation, while Atalanta and Napoli have both been linked with facilitating a return to Italy.

Chiesa made just 14 appearances last term and played just six times in the Premier League. Slot entrusted little over 100 minutes to his charge in Liverpool's title-winning campaign.

Speaking in June the Liverpool ace suggested he would be happy to stay at the club however. "The year is over. But it's an experience I would do again," Chiesa told Corriere dello Sport.

"Soon I will sit down at the table with the club, (my agent) Fali (Ramadani) and my family to find the best solution. I wouldn't mind staying in Liverpool at all."

Despite struggling for playing time, Chiesa there was good reason that he was not involved more. "If you think that I arrived in Liverpool on August 26 and found myself catapulted to another planet, with other teammates, without having trained with them, but with a trainer, no friendlies, nothing," he added.

"And, if you remember, in the autumn Liverpool were going three times as fast as the others, an incredible intensity.

"Up until the match against PSG, Liverpool was ahead of everyone, in the semi-final of Carabao and among the favourites in the Champions League, which PSG won. Could I start to discuss the choices of Slot who has always been very respectful towards me, as well as the club?

"(I was up against) the Ballon d'Or, or one of the candidates for the award (in Mohamed Salah ). "(On the left) there were Luis Diaz and (Cody) Gakpo. Slot also made me play as a nine. It was Max (Allegri) who changed my position, suggesting that I move to a second striker to score more, and I scored my goals.

"The desire to play was there, I put it aside, I understood the situation. I put aside every form of individualism."

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