Liverpool ‘are closely monitoring’ Parma centre-half Giovanni Leoni, per Florian Plettenberg.
The Reds want to bring a centre-back to Anfield this summer, and the youngster is on the transfer shortlist.
Nothing is advanced at this stage, with Liverpool more focused on Marc Guehi, but Leoni’s situation is one to watch for the fans.
The Reds could return to the negotiation table for his signature.
Liverpool sold Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen, leaving a gaping hole in defence for Leoni to fill.
It does not help that Ibrahima Konate is entering the final year of his contract with the Merseyside outfit.
The Premier League champions are wary of losing Konate to Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer. They will offer a new contract.
It is also worth noting that Virgil Van Dijk is entering the twilight of his career, and the Reds need a successor in place.
Liverpool cannot afford not to bring in centre-back reinforcement, and Leoni has caught the eye of the transfer team.
Leoni came into the limelight after breaking out at Parma in the second half of last season. He won 63% of his aerial and 59% of his ground duels in 17 Serie A outings.
The 18-year-old impressed clubs like Liverpool with his ability to win duels without giving away too many fouls and dribbling with the ball out of the defence.
The Liverpool target has also attracted interest from Serie A giants like AC Milan and Inter Milan.
However, with Liverpool struggling to snap up Guehi, it won’t be surprising to see the Reds moving to tie a deal for Leoni ahead of the Italian clubs.
The 6ft5ins (196cm on Sofascore) defender looks like a top talent who can serve the Meseyside club for years.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are still pushing for attacking additions this summer. News this week claims the Reds will swoop for Bradley Barcola.
They still harbour plans of signing Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, who is worth north of £100 million.
Stats from Sofascore