Federico Chiesa absence explained as 18-year-old Liverpool defender closes on debut

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Federico Chiesa of Liverpool(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni admits he wasn't expecting his first call-up to the Italy senior squad - as Federico Chiesa declined the chance of a return for his country.

Leoni made a £26million move from Parma to Anfield last month with the Reds having opted to bolster their centre-back options by swooping for the highly-rated 18-year-old.

The defender, who has yet to be called up for Italy's under-21 side, has been fast-tracked into his country's senior national squad by head coach Gennaro Gattuso for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers at home to Estonia on Friday and against Israel in Hungary on Monday.



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And asked if he expected the call-up, Leoni said: “No, I have to be honest, but I am truly happy.

"It means a lot to hear these words from the coach who has had a very important career.

I will have to show on the field what I can do to help the team.

“I still have to get used to Liverpool, but I had spoken with the coach (Gattuso) during the summer, we had a conversation, and I have now been called up.

I was very happy and proud to be here.

"It is an indescribable emotion.

I am proud to be part of this team and train with players of this calibre."

Leoni made the bench for Liverpool's dramatic win at Newcastle United last week, but may have to wait until the League Cup visit of Southampton later this month for his debut.

But the defender is already learning from his hero Virgil van Dijk at the AXA Training Centre.

“It has always been Van Dijk,” said Leoni when asked by VivoAzzurro TV for his idol.

“Now, I can play alongside him and share the locker room, he is an exceptional person and a phenomenal player.”

Chiesa, meanwhile, has once again been omitted by Italy despite featuring from the bench in all three Premier League games for Liverpool this season, with Gattuso revealing it was a mutual decision.

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“I spoke with Chiesa, and we made the decision together,” Gattuso said of the striker, who earned the most recent of his 51 caps in June last year.

“He didn’t feel ready to come back because he wanted to be at 100%.