Liverpool have completed the signing of Parma’s teenage defender Giovanni Leoni for an initial €30m, with the Italy Under-19 international agreeing a six-year contract.
The deal is subject to international clearance and a work permit. Leoni is due to be at Anfield to watch the Premier League opener against Bournemouth on Friday, and once the paperwork is finalised, he is expected to go straight into Arne Slot’s squad to fill the gap left by Jarell Quansah’s move to Bayer Leverkusen in the close season.
“I’m very happy to be here. It’s a really great sensation and I’m honoured to be here,” Leoni said. “Because it’s one of the best clubs in the world, it’s not possible to say no to this club.”
In 2023, after making his debut for Padova, Leoni said he was “inspired” by Virgil van Dijk and now has a chance to learn from the Liverpool captain. Ibrahima Konaté is Van Dijk’s established partner at the heart of Liverpool’s defence.
Leoni will be vying with the injury-prone Joe Gomez for the role of leading understudy to Liverpool’s centre-back duo.
Slot has now spent more than €313m on new signings since Liverpool’s title triumph last term. Before Leoni, he had additions such as Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike, and a €128m bid for Alexander Isak was rejected by Newcastle United.
Liverpool also remains interested in Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, though discussions have stalled over a fee for a player in the final year of his contract.
