A Liverpool star who had looked almost certain to leave has now insisted he wants to stay and will hold talks with the club to iron out his future.<\/p>\n
Liverpool<\/a> kicked off their Premier League title defence with a chaotic 4-2 victory over Bournemouth on Friday night. The Reds looked scintillating in attack at times but the addition of extra attack-minded players in the starting eleven did leave Arne Slot\u2019s side vulnerable at the back.<\/p>\n Antoine Semenyo \u2013 who reported racist abuse in the first half \u2013 brilliantly exposed Liverpool\u2019s gung-ho tactics on two occasions.<\/p>\n Yet it was the unfamiliar face of Federico Chiesa<\/a> who spared Liverpool\u2019s blushes late on when expertly finishing inside a crowded box. Mo Salah rubberstamped the victory with a fourth Liverpool goal in injury time.<\/p>\n Chiesa\u2019s goal was his first in the Premier League and if the noise throughout the summer is to be believed, it could be his last.<\/p>\n Indeed, Chiesa has been heavily linked with a return to Serie A following his maiden campaign in England that saw the Italian starved of opportunities.<\/p>\n And in a World Cup year, reports from a wide variety of reliable sources persistently claimed Chiesa had all but determined his Liverpool career must end.<\/p>\n As recently as two weeks ago, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano declared<\/a>:\u00a0\u201cEven after Luis Diaz\u2019s sale, Federico Chiesa\u2019s plan remains to leave Liverpool as he wants to play more. Serie A, still his favourite destination.\u201d<\/p>\n But speaking to Sky Italia<\/a> after his heroics against Bournemouth, Chiesa insisted he\u2019s happy at Liverpool and strongly suggested he wants to stay.<\/p>\n That sentiment was certainly shown in Chiesa\u2019s goal celebration in which the winger repeatedly pointed to the Liverpool crest on his shirt.<\/p>\n Chiesa began by speaking about\u00a0Diogo Jota, stating: \u201cI start with the thought after the goal:\u00a0it went to Diogo, to his brother and his family.<\/p>\n \u201cToday was truly touching: finishing the match with a win like that was a great emotion. From up there, Diogo helped me put that ball in, I want to believe that\u2019s how it went.\u201d<\/p>\n He continued, commenting on Arne Slot\u2019s faith\u00a0in him: \u201cA goal always pays off: wherever the coach puts me, I play.<\/p>\n \u201cI had a hard time arriving here because the pace is different: after a year, I\u2019ve had this satisfaction. The coach gave me a chance and\u00a0always gave me words of encouragement.\u201d<\/p>\n On his future, Chiesa concluded: \u201cWe\u2019ll talk to Liverpool, but I\u2019ll be honest:\u00a0I\u2019m happy here.<\/p>\n \u201cI play for one of the best teams in the world: I have to wait and be ready like I was tonight.<\/p>\n \u201cI have to prove that I can play for this team. I repeat, the manager has been very good with me in recent months.\u201d<\/p>\n Liverpool can\u2019t afford to lose Chiesa<\/strong><\/p>\n Liverpool have signed Hugo Ekitike for their forward line and if they get their way, Alexander Isak will arrive too.<\/p>\n However, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz have been sold, Ben Doak is joining Bournemouth<\/a>, Harvey Elliott continues to be linked with a move away and tragically, Diogo Jota passed away.<\/p>\n Rio Ngumoha is now considered a fully fledged first-team squad member, but the truth is Liverpool are light on numbers in attack.<\/p>\n In a season in which Liverpool will expect to win multiple major trophies and one in which Salah will miss a portion while playing at AFCON, Chiesa\u2019s importance to the cause is higher than it\u2019s ever been.<\/p>\n Latest Liverpool news \u2013 Isak \/ New signing and more\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n \ud83d\udd34\u00a0Alexander Isak \u2018WILL get dream Liverpool move\u2019 as journalist reveals saga getting \u2018more toxic\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udd34\u00a0Liverpool ANNOUNCE new signing amid \u2018active talks\u2019 with another star<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n