Federico Chiesa handed Liverpool exit route after being left of squad vs Everton

Despite being a fan favourite at Liverpool, the future of Federico Chiesa remains in doubt. The Italian forward would have felt a pang of disappointment as he listened to the Reds' faithful belt out 'You'll Never Walk Alone' under the Anfield lights, before Liverpool triumphed over Atletico Madrid 3-2 in the Champions League. Chiesa was notably absent from Arne Slot's squad for the prestigious European competition, with Rio Ngumoha getting the nod instead. The same decision was made for Saturday's Merseyside derby against Everton.

With the World Cup looming next summer, Chiesa needs to play top-tier football if he hopes to represent Italy. As a European champion, the 27-year-old is eager to play for the Azzurri, especially after Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

According to Team Talk, a return to Italy could be on the cards for the former Juventus striker. However, this is far from certain, as Slot clearly values Chiesa and no formal offer has been made by any Italian club for his services.

Chiesa has featured in every Premier League match this season, albeit mostly as a substitute. However, his opportunities may dwindle once £125million signing Alexander Isak starts playing regularly.

Discussing Chiesa's response to being left out of the Champions League squad, Slot revealed: "He wasn't selected but he worked really hard these days to be ready for the upcoming days. That is even more important than what a player tells you."

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Despite Slot's preference for Ngumoha in his European squad, Chiesa has actually made more appearances than the 17-year-old this season. The Liverpool academy star was benched during the opening day 4-2 home triumph over Bournemouth, where Chiesa netted the Reds' vital third goal after being subbed on.

Luis Diaz's latest transfer revelation

Amidst the excitement surrounding the £450m worth of new arrivals this summer, Luis Diaz also exited to Bayern Munich. He transferred to the German giants in a £65m deal, already contributing four goals and two assists.

However, following his team's 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the Champions League, he disclosed that he had discussions with Barcelona. Speaking to Movistar, the Colombian said: "There were conversations [with Barcelona] as there are throughout the transfer market, with several teams. That's what always drives the market, but I'm very calm about this decision.

"I decided objectively about what was coming for my future, and the important thing is that I joined a big club. It's a great group, a great family. So, nothing, just try to give my all."