Everyone at Football FanCast is devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva. We are sending our thoughts and prayers to their friends, families, teammates and loved ones.
Liverpool's backline will already have a fresh look next season, amid the arrivals of both Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong at full-back, although that might not be the end of the overhaul if reports are to be believed.
Indeed, the search for a long-term partner or successor to Virgil van Dijk continues, not least with the Merseysiders having already cashed in on 22-year-old starlet, Jarell Quansah, following his £35m switch to Bayer Leverkusen.
A key part of England's success at the U21 European Championships this summer, the academy graduate has somewhat surprisingly been let go by Arne Slot, albeit while having been restricted to just four Premier League starts last time out.
That departure may not be too much of a blow when taking that limited involvement into consideration, although further upheaval could lie in store, with Ibrahim Konate reportedly holding out for a move to Real Madrid next summer.
Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate celebrates after winning the Premier League
Reports have indicated that the Frenchman - who has just 12 months left on his contract - is willing to run down that deal in order to follow Trent Alexander-Arnold to the Bernabeu, with that uncertainty only heightening the need for at least one new recruit in the centre of the defence.
Latest on Liverpool's centre-back search
Speaking of contract uncertainty, reports have suggested that the Reds could be ready to make the most of Marc Guehi's situation at Crystal Palace, with the Eagles skipper also into the last year of his deal at Selhurst Park.
Liverpool-Guehi
There have been claims that personal terms have already been struck with the England international, although any noise has quietened down of late, with those at Anfield having also previously been in the mix for ex-Bournemouth sensation, Dean Huijsen.
With the Spaniard having since sealed a £50m switch to Madrid, Liverpool have been left seeking alternatives, with talkSPORT outlining that the Premier League champions could well be in the mix for Parma teenager, Giovanni Leoni.
As per the report, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur appear to be among ten top-flight clubs in England who have made an enquiry for the 18-year-old, with the youngster fresh off the back of an impressive first season in Serie A.
A swift exit could well be on the cards as a result of that fine start to life in Parma, albeit with it yet to be seen whether the Inter Milan target would be willing to move to the Premier League, with his preference said to be to remain in Italy.
Why Liverpool should make a move for Leoni
At a time when Konate appears to be angling for an exit in the near future - with Quansah already departing - there might well be a desire for Slot to acquire a ready-made, proven option like Guehi to partner Van Dijk, with the 24-year-old having only recently played his part in Palace's shock FA Cup triumph.
That said, a more long-term option like young Leoni certainly shouldn't be overlooked, with the in-demand defender arguably "one of the most complete teenage centre-backs in Europe", in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig.
While the former Sampdoria and Padova starlet has only enjoyed a solitary season in Serie A, that relative lack of experience should not be of too great a concern, not least considering the impact that the aforementioned Huijsen made for Bournemouth last season.
AFC Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen
Signed from Juventus after a six-month stint with Roma at the end of 2023/24, the Netherlands-born star had made just 14 Serie A appearances prior to joining the Cherries, with a period of adaptation likely to have been expected.
As it proved, the now 20-year-old proved to be a real standout figure in Andoni Iraola's exciting side, having made 32 Premier League appearances in all, with pundit Jamie Redknapp highlighting the way he "makes the game look effortless".
That gamble more than paid off for those on the south coast, with perhaps now the time for Liverpool to replicate that trick with Leoni, with journalist Graeme Bailey even noting the likeness between the Italian and Huijsen:
"One scout has told me that Leoni is probably the best young defender he saw last season – composed, elegant and defensively astute. He actually compared him to Dean Huijsen."
Huijsen (23/24) vs Leoni (24/25) - Serie A stats
Stat (*per game)
Games (starts)
Goals
Assists
Key passes*
Pass accuracy*
Tackles & interceptions*
Dribbled past*
Total duels won*
Possession lost*
Stats via Sofascore
A right-footed, 6 foot 5 centre-back - much like Huijsen - what particularly sets Leoni apart from his peers is his quality in possession, having averaged an 89% pass accuracy rate in Serie A last term, having lost possession just 5.1 times per game on average, as per Sofascore.
For context, Huijsen averaged 84% and 9.2 for those same two metrics last season, respectively, albeit while having featured 32 times in the league, with Leoni only making 17 appearances in Italy's top-flight.
Liverpool dream lineup for 2025-26 Related
Two £100m+ signings start: AI predicts Liverpool's line-up for next season
Mohamed Salah would get plenty of service in this side...
Like Huijsen too, the Parma ace was only dribbled past 0.3 times per game, while he didn't make a single error leading to a goal, thus showcasing an innate composure that perhaps belies his years.
And so, while Liverpool may have missed the boat on Madrid's new hero, the opportunity to sign the next best thing is certainly not one to turn down.
Liverpool-Diaz Related
[Perfect Diaz replacement: Liverpool weighing up move for £68m "superstar"](https://www.footballfancast.com/perfect-diaz-replacement-liverpool-weighing-up-move-for-eberechi-eze/ "Perfect Diaz replacement: Liverpool weighing up move for £68m "superstar"")
Liverpool's Colombian forward is edging closer to an Anfield exit this summer.