Giovanni Leoni has visibly bulked up during a year of ACL rehabilitation at Liverpool, with hopes that the teenage defender could resume full team training after the international break
Giovanni Leoni is closing in on a return for Liverpool
Giovanni Leoni is closing in on a return for Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the image Giovanni Leoni shared on his Instagram story this time last year is just how dramatically his appearance has changed.
It was October 1, 2025, when the young Italian posted a photograph from his hospital bed, having just undergone surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained toward the end of what had otherwise been a superb Liverpool debut, in a victory over Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
Pictured in his hospital gown, giving a thumbs-up, Leoni expressed gratitude to those who had sent words of encouragement and promised he would "be back soon." One might argue that over 12 months could hardly be considered "soon," yet Liverpool has shown no desire to rush, affording the talented Italian center-back all the time necessary to return as a stronger, more complete player.
In the year since that hospital photograph was taken, while Leoni may have been unable to develop as a footballer, he has clearly grown considerably as an individual, both physically and mentally. With well over two months still remaining before he reaches his twenties, the extent to which the defender has filled out since receiving the green light to return to the gym at the AXA Centre in Kirkby has been truly remarkable.
The 6-foot-6 teenager now cuts an imposing figure, and it is evident that he has been eager to return to the pitch to finally begin his career at Anfield in earnest. Those who have witnessed his transformation up close have been thoroughly impressed by his commitment.
Another Instagram post featuring Leoni, positioned beneath an enormous clock with the caption "countdown," shared last August, similarly hinted at his conviction that a return was imminent. As the closing stages now draw near, he will undoubtedly be eager to get started.
Leoni suffered the injury just over a year ago
Leoni suffered the injury just over a year ago(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool was dismayed to lose Ibrahima Konate when negotiations over fresh terms broke down, and he departed as a free agent during the summer. Anfield officials had attempted to retain the now Real Madrid defender within their ranks to help develop players such as Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet, alongside the senior figure in the center-back unit, club captain Virgil van Dijk.
However, the choice not to meet Konate's substantial salary expectations was made on the conviction that, in Jacquet and Leoni, the Merseysiders possessed two of the continent's most exciting defenders under the age of 21 in their ranks. With Liverpool acutely conscious that Van Dijk's deal would run out in the summer of 2027 — around the time of his 36th birthday — the requirement to strengthen and plan ahead in that position has been evident in recent transfer windows.
Acquired in August 2025, Liverpool resisted considerable attention from Italian clubs in Leoni's native country, including Inter Milan. It would have been straightforward for Leoni to remain in Italy and turn out for a Serie A giant in the Nerazzurri, particularly considering he was still a teenager with only a single season of first-team experience to his name at Parma.
In all honesty, there may well have been moments in the immediate aftermath of his painful setback last year when he questioned whether he had made the right call in relocating to Merseyside. It is a delicate issue that clubs are acutely aware of whenever a young player suffers such a debilitating injury.
On the one hand, younger players tend to recover more readily physically, yet it is often far more challenging for those with less experience to cope with the psychological demands of such a setback. It is precisely why Jurgen Klopp would often speak of the necessity for younger players to become "old souls" when confronted with such situations. The composure Leoni has demonstrated by refusing to rush his recovery has been admirable, especially given that he is settling into a new club while eager to make his mark.
The center-back opted to complete his rehabilitation at the club's training ground rather than head back to Italy, keen to forge stronger bonds with the staff who have supported him throughout the past year. Liverpool believed that acting swiftly was crucial when securing Leoni's signature. There was a growing sense that top-quality, experienced center-backs were becoming increasingly scarce, which would only have inflated transfer fees for suitable targets at the time.
That's precisely why Anfield's senior figures have been willing to invest more than $100 million on Leoni and Jacquet combined, confident they've landed two potentially elite prospects for the long term alongside fellow new signings, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, whose backgrounds meant they joined with considerably less first-team experience and far smaller price tags.
The opportunity to feature alongside and be mentored by Van Dijk is something Leoni has been denied over the past year, but he's keen to make up for the time lost. The expectation is that he can resume full team training following the international break. At that stage, photographs of him in his hospital gown, fresh from surgery, will begin to recede from memory, and Liverpool can at last begin to reap a return on its investment.