Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images
Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images
Liverpool are starting to make shockwaves in the transfer market once again.
The Reds hit the headlines earlier this summer after smashing their transfer record to sign Florian Wirtz in a £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen – also adding Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez to the squad for Arne Slot.
Now, the Reds are back in the headlines. Liverpool have approached Newcastle to enquire about Alexander Isak, and are ready to tempt the Magpies with a £130m bid for the Sweden international.
Not only that, but a story from Gazzetta dello Sport states that Inter Milan are now wary of Liverpool bidding for Giovanni Leoni as well.
Liverpool tipped to make Giovanni Leoni offer
The Italian news outlet now state that Liverpool could submit a €40m (£35m) bid for the 18-year-old.
Gazzetta dello Sport write that Inter Milan are hoping to sign Leoni themselves, and have already seen a €30m (£26m) bid rejected by Parma, but the presence of Liverpool is described as a threat which concerns those at the San Siro, as the Reds would be able to easily meet the £35m asking price.
It comes after TBR Football revealed last week that Liverpool are eager to sign Leoni after his rise to prominence with Parma – while Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle, Bournemouth, AC Milan and Juventus admire the teenager as well.
What scouts are saying about Giovanni Leoni as Liverpool circle
The Parma No.46 only has 17 Serie A appearances to his name, so it is likely that most Liverpool fans have no idea what type of player he is.
Fortunately, Graeme Bailey – Chief Correspondent at TBR Football – spoke to a scout about Leoni, who actually compared the Italy U19 international to Dean Huijsen.
He said: “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.
“Parma insist they do not want to sell, but the chance of trebling their money on him in just 12 months might be too much to say no to. I believe Parma would be doing very well to keep Leoni beyond this summer.”
Liverpool were keen to sign Huijsen from Bournemouth before his £50m move to Real Madrid in May, so it seems as if the data model used for recruitment at Anfield has moved Richard Hughes on to Leoni, a defender who boasts similar characteristics.