According to Alex Crook, talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent, Liverpool FC, as well as Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur, are all showing interest in teenage Parma defender Giovanni Leoni, a 6 ft 5 ball-winning defender.
The same is being reported locally in Parma, with Parma Today reporting:
“The news is that his technical and athletic skills have impressed the scouts of the English champion Liverpool.”
Parma are eager to keep Leoni, having only signed the 18-year-old from Sampdoria in June 2024 for a fee of around £10m, with Parma CEO Federico Cherubini telling Sky:
“There is also interest from abroad in Leoni… We said that his journey, in our opinion, has just begun in Parma and should continue.”
“To date we have not had any opposing signals from Leoni or his entourage, we are convinced that he can stay in Parma, or in any case that it is the best thing for Parma and for the player himself. The market has just started, and anything can happen.”
With Jarell Quansah’s departure, Liverpool have already been linked with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. It appears that the Reds are still keen to add another younger, promising project-type defender with high upside, and Leoni fits the bill.