Federico Chiesa is set to remain at Liverpool through the January transfer window despite being omitted from the club’s UEFA Champions League squad, with his father confirming the forward’s desire to stay on Merseyside as pundits question his future playing prospects.
Transfer Window Deadline Passes With Chiesa Remaining at Anfield
Due to Liverpool having filled their final non-homegrown spot in the squad with the blockbuster signing of Bradley Barcola yesterday, it means that if the Anfield side were to make any late moves in the transfer window before the deadline tonight at 11pm UK time, they would need to sell a player who is currently occupying one of those spots in the team. And one of the players who was most likely to be moved on by Liverpool was Federico Chiesa. When the Italian forward signed for the club back in 2024 for a initial fee of £10 million, many Reds fans saw this as potentially a very good piece of business from the club, as it wasn’t too long ago that Chiesa was seen as one of the best forwards in world football, and was only being let go by Juventus due to him not being in the manager’s plans and fitting in his system, rather than his footballing ability. However, he has never really been given the opportunity to show what he is capable of. And despite having some memorable moments in a Liverpool shirt, like the late equaliser against Bournemouth at the start of last season, it appeared that his time on Merseyside was coming to an end. Especially with Andoni Iraola not really favouring him in any pre-season fixtures, as well as the Italian not being in the squad for either of the Reds’ draws against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest at the start of this season. However, with less than 12 hours left until the transfer window slams shut, and Federico Chiesa still being at the club, it would appear that the 28-year-old is set to remain at Liverpool until at least January.
According to James Pearce and Gregg Evans, unless any club makes a late move for Chiesa in the final hours of the window, which is seen as unlikely, the versatile forward is set to remain at Anfield. Roy Keane was stunned to hear that one player in particular has stayed at Liverpool after the end of the summer transfer window. Several first-team regulars from last season have since left Anfield, with Mo Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate all departing on free transfers and Curtis Jones sold to Inter Milan for £30m. A number of Reds players have also gone out on loan for the 2026/27 campaign, although one man who was continually linked with an exit has remained on Merseyside. Federico Chiesa had been the subject of rumours over a potential return to Italy, having only featured sporadically in his first two years at Liverpool, although he remains part of Andoni Iraola’s squad.
Champions League Omission and Pundit Reaction
Liverpool has unveiled its UEFA Champions League 2026-27 squad, leaving out Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo, with the new signee from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) included. The squad announced is currently only for the league phase of the tournament, and the Premier League giants will start off against Atletico Madrid on September at Anfield. Andoni Iraola’s managed side will have both of these players unavailable unless both players make a change to their squad, which are normally injury-related, as per ESPN. As per UEFA rules, the side is limited to a 25-player List A, with eight places meant for ‘locally trained’ players, out of which four must have played at the club for three seasons between ages 15 and 21. Younger players can be registered separately on List B if they meet UEFA’s age and development criteria, but Chiesa and Endo are not eligible. The summer arrival Víctor Munoz is included. Conor Bradley, who is currently undergoing rehab for a knee injury sustained in February, on the list. Giovanni Leoni, who faced an ACL tear back in September 2025, is also on the list. Chiesa is also out due to a muscle injury currently, though he will not be absent long-term. Endo made only eight Premier League appearances from 2025-26, seven of them from the bench, while he also featured just once in Liverpool’s quarterfinal finish in the UEFA Champions League. The Reds will play eight fixtures in the group stage, including home games against Atletico, Porto, Villarreal and Lens. They will be travelling to play against Austrian side LASK, Fenerbahnce, Club Brugge and Inter Milan. Liverpool has also included injured striker Hugo Ekitike in the squad despite the Frenchman currently being sidelined.
On the latest episode of Stick to Football, Jamie Carragher mentioned that the 28-year-old and Wataru Endo aren't gonna kick a ball
for the Reds this season, with neither getting on the pitch in the first two Premier League matches of the new campaign. Upon hearing the Italian forward’s name being mentioned, Keane momentarily interrupted: Is he still there?
, with his fellow Sky Sports pundit responding in the affirmative. Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher says Federico Chiesa is ‘never going to kick a ball’ with the Reds this season after the Italian winger was omitted from their Champions League squad list.
“Liverpool have got two players in the squad who are never going to play,” Carragher said, speaking on the Overlap, via Goal.com. “And there are all these quotas; you can only have 17 players and all that. They have got Chiesa and Endo. It’s like they are never going to kick a ball.”
Jamie Carragher
Injury Timeline and Father’s Stance on Contract Future
There’s a perfectly valid reason for Chiesa not playing against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest in the past fortnight – he’s been nursing a minor injury that he sustained in a pre-season clash against Como last month. Chiesa has scored five goals in 50 appearances across all competitions with Liverpool since 2024 and is currently out of action due to a muscle problem. Iraola told reporters at his press conference this morning that the 28-year-old is due to resume training with the Liverpool squad during the international break in late September, which’d indicate that the forward will miss another few matches in the coming weeks. While Chiesa has been left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad, another Italy international, Giovanni Leoni, features in the list. The promising centre-back is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury, and Andoni Iraola has said that he’s expected to return to team training during the international break between the end of September and the start of October.
Squad Dynamics and What Lies Ahead
The idea of the Italian remaining a Liverpool player has been a topic of discussion alongside broader squad management. Liverpool’s 25-man squad features: Alisson, Mamardashvili, Woodman, Jaros; Gomez, Van Dijk, Jacquet, Kerkez, Bradley, Leoni, Tsimikas, Frimpong, Araujo, Chambers, Mabaya; Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Munoz, Gravenberch, McConnell; Isak, Gakpo, Ekitike, Barcola. Chiesa’s prospects of game-time this season are likely to be further lessened by these additions and the existing depth in Andoni Iraola’s setup as the team prepares to navigate both domestic commitments and their upcoming European fixtures.
