Federico Chiesa insists he is ‘doing the best I can’ to revive his fortunes at Liverpool following two rough years under Arne Slot.
Chiesa was Slot’s first signing after he replaced Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool boss, joining from Juventus in a deal worth up to £12.5million.
However, Chiesa’s switch to Merseyside has not gone to plan.
Of his 50 appearances for the Reds over the last two seasons, just nine of those have been starts.
Despite his lack of playing time, Chiesa was blocked from departing the Reds in January due to Alexander Isak’s injury and Mohamed Salah’s participation in the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt.
But with Slot now gone and Andoni Iraola in the Anfield hot seat, Chiesa is hopeful of a change in fortunes.
Chiesa: I ‘love everything’ about Liverpool
“The only conversations I had were about pressing and tactics,” Chiesa said following Liverpool’s 4-2 win over Sunderland in a pre-season friendly, a match in which he scored.
“So I don’t know, it is difficult to say. It is always a fresh start at the beginning of the year. Maybe there have been too many fresh starts.
“But I don’t care, I am trying to do my best for this new manager. Last season under Arne Slot, I was trying to do my best.
“Right now, at the moment, I am happy here at Liverpool. I love the club, I love the fans, I love everything. I am doing the best I can to have a chance here. And then we will see.
“At the minute, the only thing I am thinking about is Liverpool.”
Intriguingly, Chiesa could be set for a new role under Iraola.
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A winger by trade, Chiesa came off the bench to play up top in the Reds’ friendly against Sunderland.
Liverpool are light on bodies in the striker department, with Hugo Ekitike continuing to recover from a ruptured Achilles and Isak needing to be managed following his fibula fracture last term.
It’s why the duo’s fitness woes could be the perfect tonic to help Chiesa turn a new page in his Anfield career, especially given Iraola ‘wants’ him to play as a striker.
New man up top?
Chiesa remarked: “Last year I felt ready for a bigger role, then it depended on the coach, whether he wanted me to play or not.
“Of course I wanted to play more but it is what it is. The gaffer decided to do so, he had his game plans, he took his decisions, I have nothing to say about that. It is football.
“This year, let us say it is a new chapter. There is a new manager and I have to focus on that.
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“He put me striker today and he wants me there. I have played my whole career as a winger, but I am happy to play striker as well.
“Pre-season is always hard, no? We didn’t just start, we have been training two weeks now with a new coach.
“We have seen what he wants. He wants high intensity, one versus one all over the pitch, that’s what we wanted to show today. Of course it is hard, it is pre-season.”
Chiesa will look to impress Slot yet again when the Reds face Wrexham in their next pre-season contest.
The match will take place at Yankee Stadium in New York, with kick-off scheduled at 12:30am BST on Thursday.
