Arne Slot reveals possible debut date for new signing Federico Chiesa

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has revealed that summer signing Federico Chiesa could make his debut against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The Reds beat Spanish giants Barcelona to the signing of Italian winger Chiesa in August, bringing him to the Premier League after he failed to agree a new deal with Juventus.

The 26-year-old saw his new side secure a 3-0 win over rivals Manchester United from the stands but has so far been unable to make his competitive debut for Liverpool.

Speaking ahead of the Reds’ clash with Forest at Anfield on Saturday, Slot confirmed that Chiesa has been working hard to regain fitness ahead of the Premier League’s return.

“Chiesa has trained three or four times,” he told reporters. “So let’s see how he does today because we have more than 20 players to choose from.

“My old teams played almost every game with the same players, but this is a different league, but it also depends on what they show. We have been very strong with one game every seven days and I assume they all want to play every game, so they have to show up with quality and work rate.

“We also have more than 11 quality players so we will use them, but I can’t say now if not. I get feedback from the team on what is the best thing to do.”

The Reds are expected to be without Harvey Elliott, who fractured his foot during training with England Under-21s.

“Harvey, it’s a big disappointment for him and for us,” Slot continued. “He hasn’t played much but he played in pre-season and did really well. If he had stayed fit he would have played a lot but now he’s not, it’s a chance for someone else.

“It’s a blow for him and for us because availability is important at this stage of the season. He will work hard to come back in the best possible way.”