Chiesa not on his way to Turkey in spite of omission

BEHIND the headlines of Federico Chiesa's omission from Liverpool's Champions League squad lay a much simpler explanation.

- By PAUL GORST

The decision to leave the Italian out of the 23-man European setup was met with raised eyebrows from some supporters, who feel the frontman could have been a useful option.

The 27-year-old has looked sharp in his cameos so far, particularly against Bournemouth, when he volleyed in a late goal in the 4-2 win.

However, the decision to leave him out of the squad for the Champions League, on the face of it, looks like head coach Arne Slot is still far from convinced by the former Juventus man.

That, perhaps, is why Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas have been linked with a move before their own transfer window shuts on September 12.

The Istanbul club have reportedly reached out to Liverpool in exploratory talks about a deal.