Federico Chiesa has made a long-awaited return to action with the Liverpool Under-21 side, as the £120,000-a-week signing aims to build his fitness after an injury nightmare since his arrival.
The 27-year-old Italy international joined the Reds from Juventus for a bargain price of £10 million, rising to a potential £12.5 million.
Liverpool believed they had signed a player to add further depth in a forward line including Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo.
But Chiesa has played just 78 minutes for Liverpool so far, with his only start coming in Liverpool's Carabao Cup win over West Ham last month.
Arne Slot has insisted Chiesa's absence is due to the Italian missing pre-season training and continues to work to match the intensity of the rest of the squad.
Now the talented wide man appears to be inching closer to a comeback after playing for the youth team against FC Nordsjaelland and scoring the equalizer after 10 minutes, The Sun reports.
Slot's predecessor Jurgen Klopp had tried to land the Euro 2020-winning star in the summer of 2023 and also two years earlier, but failed both times.
It was a blessing in disguise as the Reds eventually signed their man for £41 million less than the £51 million Juventus had offered them.
The Turin team held firm to their asking price, even after Chiesa suffered a knee injury that led to a sharp drop in form.
He eventually moved to Anfield on a lucrative four-year contract after making 33 appearances in Serie A last season, ultimately becoming Juventus' top scorer with nine.
His poor fitness record dates back to January 2022, when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out for seven months.
Chiesa's encouraging outing for the under-21s comes after it emerged that Inter Milan pushed to bring him in on a six-month loan deal in January.
While the Italian played for the youth team on Wednesday, the senior team was busy playing a chaotic Premier League match that ended 3-3.
Salah once again reminded us of his importance to Liverpool with two goals and an assist in an action-packed second half before Newcastle's Fabian Schar came in at the last minute to secure a dramatic draw.
Isak had blown a tense encounter wide open within half an hour with a thumping effort from distance to catch Caoimhín Kelleher completely off guard and send the Magpies a goal ahead.
The Reds then came out after the break determined not to cede any ground to their title rivals and Curtis Jones delivered the goods with a goal from nowhere. But the Magpies came back, this time when Isak became the supplier.
The centre-forward slipped through Gordon and the England star turned Joe Gomez sharply, leaving the centre-back on the pitch, and slid inside.
Salah then turned the game around with a stunning brace before Schar broke Liverpool's hearts at the death.
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