FC Liverpool will travel to Asia on Sunday with 29 players, where the English champions will set up their training camp in Hong Kong and Japan. Luis Diaz, who is being courted by Bayern Munich, will be there. Federico Chiesa, however, will not.
Federico Chiesa has not been particularly happy at Liverpool so far, at least from a sporting point of view. Since his transfer just under a year ago, he has made only six appearances in the Premier League – five from the bench – and three in the Champions League. After being sidelined by a muscle injury in the first half of the season, the 27-year-old often found himself on the Reds’ bench in the second half.
It is not out of the question that Chiesa’s time at Liverpool could come to an end after just one year. At the end of June, The Athletic reported interest in the Italian striker from Serie A, and on Sunday evening, the transfer rumors were given new fuel when Reds coach Arne Slot did not take Chiesa on the trip to Asia.
In the evening, the Liverpool squad flew to Hong Kong, where they will play a friendly against AC Milan this weekend, before another friendly against Yokohama F. Marinos is planned in Tokyo. As the club announced on Sunday evening, 29 professionals are part of the squad for the Asian tour, where preparations for the title defense will be made.
Among them are Luis Diaz, who is being courted by FC Bayern, and new signings Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Giorgi Mamardashvili. Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton are also returning to the team after their special leave following the U-21 European Championship. Hugo Ekitiké will probably join the team later after apparently reaching an agreement with Eintracht Frankfurt. Only Chiesa is not part of the squad.
Wirtz with assist on friendly debut
The official reason: minor fitness issues that the Italian is to resolve in England. Before leaving for Hong Kong, however, Liverpool played a closed-door friendly against Stoke City, with Chiesa coming on in the second half and scoring the fifth goal in a 5-0 win.
Wirtz also made his debut for the Reds against the English second division side. The record signing from Bayer 04 Leverkusen was in the starting line-up and set up Darwin’s opening goal. The latter scored two more goals, needing just 20 minutes to complete his hat-trick. The fourth was scored by 16-year-old attacking talent Rio Ngumoha.
