Gattuso: Why Italy dropped Chiesa and called three debutants, including Leoni

Chiesa, on the other hand, did not join the Azzurri, remaining in Liverpool despite scoring a crucial goal on the Reds’ Premier League debut last month.

“I spoke with Chiesa, and we made the decision together,” Gattuso said.

“He didn’t feel ready to come back because he wanted to be at 100%. We decided it calmly together. Raspadori has played 10–20 minutes in the first matches, but it’s difficult to find players with similar characteristics, and Raspadori can give me something different.”

The ex-Napoli striker has joined Atletico Madrid this summer.

What Italy coach Gattuso said about Italy debutants

Talking about the three Azzurri debutants, Gattuso said: “When I see a player, I must be impressed by the personality. I think these young players already possess the ability to play like experienced players.

“I saw Leoni play on an open field against Lukaku last season. They are ready. Perhaps, at their age, we didn’t have the audacity they have, and I want to reward them for this aspect. Then, of course, quality is the foundation of everything.

“It’s hard to say if they are ready. Being ready comes from experience — the more you play, the more you grow,” continued the CT.

“I think Fabbian is similar to Frattesi: he fills the box well, he also has physicality and important timing when making runs. I called him because he’s similar to Frattesi. Pio has technique and is technically strong. Leoni was born in 2006 and has significant speed peaks. We’ll see them here. I haven’t given them anything as a gift; I believe they have specific qualities that can fit into this group.”

Gattuso will make his debut as Italy head coach on September 5 against Estonia in Bergamo. The game against Israel will be played on neutral turf in Debrecen, Hungary, on September 8.

The summer transfer window in Serie A ends today at 20:00 CET (19:00 BST). Make sure you follow all the live updates and confirmed transfers on the Football Italia LIVEBLOG.