Arne Slot confirms Federico Chiesa progress at Liverpool | OneFootball

Italy international has struggled for fitness since summer move from Juventus

Arne Slot has confirmed Federico Chiesa is in line for more of a first-team role at Liverpool.

Chiesa, who moved to Merseyside in August, started his second match in all competitions on Wednesday when a much-changed Liverpool lost 3-2 at Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

But with the Premier League's leading goalscorer Mohamed Salah and Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota as well as Darwin Nunez competing for a place up front, Chiesa has had to wait longer for more game time at Liverpool.

"He's ready for more minutes. If he can play 90 at Champions League, you can play Premier League. His main problem is he is competition with Diaz, Gakpo, Nunez, Salah and Jota. They are doing very well as well," Slot told reporters on Friday.

"A big compliment to him how hard he worked."

Slot, speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League trip to high-flying Bournemouth, said Liverpool have been boosted by the return of Jota, Nunez and defender Joe Gomez in training.

"All three are training today. We have 20 players available. We have to make the smartest decision for them and to win the game tomorrow," the Dutchman said.

Slot was full of praise for Bournemouth, who produced a remarkable performance at home to end surprise package Nottingham Forest's eight-match unbeaten streak in the Premier League with a 5-0 victory last weekend.

Andoni Iraola's side are seventh in the Premier League table with 40 points from 23 matches, while Liverpool sit top 53 points with a game in hand.

Liverpool beat Bournemouth 3-0 at Anfield in September.

"It's a big one. I knew this already when we played the second half in the home game. We were 3-0 up at halftime but they kept on going at us. That showed me the character. Since then they have been outstanding," Slot said.

"His (Iraola) players work incredibly hard. In a different way to Arsenal, they are a threat at set-pieces. Maybe they deserve higher than the position they are at the moment.”