Federico Chiesa has been hailed by former team-mate Federico Bernardeschi, who believes that the Liverpool star deserves a recall to the Italian national team. Chiesa, 27, last played for his country at the European Championship in 2024.

Italy have undergone significant changes since then, with manager Luciano Spalletti being dismissed in June and Gennaro Gattuso taking over in a bid to salvage their World Cup qualifying campaign. Chiesa was in the mix to make Gattuso's first squad in September, only to admit that he wasn't ready for a call-up.

The ex-Fiorentina and Juventus winger came to the same decision this month, with Gattuso explaining: "The Chiesa issue is very simple. I talk to my players a lot, and I want to make that clear, a lot.

"I speak every week with Fede and he knows what I think of him, but I also have to respect what the player tells me. He does not feel at 100 per cent and wants to be at 100 per cent, that is the...