Liverpool have struck a deal with Parma for highly-rated centre-back Giovanni Leoni, agreeing a fee worth around £30 million including add-ons.
The 18-year-old Italian will jet into the UK today for his medical, with the move set to take the Premier League champions’ summer spending to an eye-watering £320 million.
Leoni is expected to go straight into Arne Slot’s first-team plans, competing with Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, and Joe Gomez. With Jarell Quansah sold to Bayer Leverkusen for £35 million and Konaté’s fitness often inconsistent, Liverpool have moved quickly to bolster their defensive options which have been a glaring issue for a number of weeks.
The Reds have been in the market for a young, high-potential centre-back for the past two summers, initially targeting Chelsea’s Levi Colwill in 2023. They also explored moves for Leny Yoro, Jorrel Hato, and Dean Huijsen with them all wanting a move elsewhere but persistence with Leoni has paid off despite late interest from Manchester United and Newcastle.
Standing at 6’5”, Leoni made 17 Serie A appearances last season and is widely considered one of Europe’s brightest defensive prospects. Comfortable on the ball and commanding in the air, he fits perfectly into Slot’s system. A regular for Italy’s U19s, he is also eligible to feature in both the UEFA Youth League and U21 fixtures for the Reds. Crucially, his age means he will qualify as homegrown if registered in England for the next three seasons.
Negotiations with Parma were straightforward, with no loan option ever on the table. The deal, which includes a sell-on clause, is expected to be finalised in the coming days. Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes faced little resistance from the player, who was reportedly eager to make the switch from the outset and cites Van Dijk as a major inspiration.
Leoni will be Liverpool’s eighth signing of a busy window, joining Jeremie Frimpong (£29m), Florian Wirtz (£116m), Milos Kerkez (£40m), Armin Pecsi (£1.5m), Freddie Woodman (free), Hugo Ekitike (£79m), and Giorgi Mamardashvili (£29m).
While the champions have spent heavily, they have also recouped over £190m through sales, including Luis Díaz (£65.5m), Darwin Núñez (£46m), and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£10m).
For Slot and van Dijk, the addition of Leoni is a crucial reinforcement in an area highlighted as a weakness following last weekend’s Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace. If the teenager can emulate even a fraction of the Liverpool captain’s impact, the club believe they may have unearthed a generational defensive talent.
The club’s summer rebuild is showing no signs of slowing down signalling an ambitious approach ahead of the 2025–26 season.
