Nottingham Forest’s Murillo is the latest centre-back target to be linked with a transfer to Liverpool.
The Brazilian is one of the Premier League’s most imposing centre-backs and an exciting prospect for FSG’s defensive rebuild.
His profile is more akin to Ibrahima Konate than it is to Virgil van Dijk, and if Liverpool are to make that signing, it would leave us lacking in possession.
That’s why Giovanni Leoni becomes extra important if this is the direction Arne Slot wants to take.
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Liverpool Champions League Premier League
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Giovanni Leoni could be Liverpool’s best ball-playing centre-back
Liverpool are in the race for Murillo, and he could well be at Anfield at the start of next season.
The Brazilian is an impressive player. He has power, speed, likes to drive forward and is a nightmare matchup in the air.
That said, there are some facets of his game that aren’t of an elite standard — primarily, on the ball.
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New Liverpool signing Jeremy Jacquet doesn’t have that to his game yet either, more comfortable dribbling the ball than spraying it to his teammates. Konate, if he stays, would fall into that group as well.
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate
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Leoni is by no means the finished article in that regard, and the numbers don’t place him well ahead of the aforementioned defenders. But watching him in action last season, you can see the composure and technical polish more reminiscent to a Van Dijk.
Speaking of Van Dijk, he will eventually need phasing out of the starting XI, and if Liverpool are going for Murillo now, it suggests there won’t be a world-class ball player added to the heart of the defence.
That puts the pressure on Leoni to grow into that role. He has all the physical and technical attributes, and just needs to get Premier League minutes under his belt.
Murillo isn’t the only centre-back on Liverpool’s summer shopping list. Players like Nico Schlotterbeck and Alessandro Bastoni are also being eyed.
If it is to be the Forest defender, though, it sets Leoni up for a regular spot in the first XI once Van Dijk starts fading.
Which category does Virgil van Dijk rank in the best centre-backs in football history?
Is he even better than Maldini? 😱
Virgil van Dijk celebrates Alexis Mac Allister scoring for Liverpool against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League at Anfield (Credit: Getty Images/Chris Brunskill/Fantasista).
Photo credit: Getty Images/Chris Brunskill/Fantasista
Without a technical foil like Leoni — who mirrors Van Dijk’s composure and long-range vision — a Murillo-KonatE pairing risks turning Liverpool from a ball-dominant side into a reactive one. Leoni isn’t just an option; he is the tactical insurance policy for a post-Van Dijk era.
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