Liverpool have made it clear through the summer that signing a centre half is a top priority, as sporting director Richard Hughes and the recruitment team look to set up manager Arne Slot and the club to defend the Premier League title in 2025-26 and push on for cup and European glory.
With Jarell Quansah sold relatively early in the window, though, and with the new season only days away, it was hard not to be just a little bit worried—especially for anyone still scarred by 2020-21’s defensive injury crisis after the club headed into that season with just three established senior centre halves.
The past few days have gone a long way to quelling those concerns, with the club moving to close a deal for 25-year-old Crystal Palace captain and England international Marc Guéhi. For most, that would have been enough. But it appears that for Hughes, Slot, and Liverpool it won’t be.
That’s because it appears the club are also on the verge of signing Italy’s top teenage defensive talent, Parma 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni. Reliable reports from the Italian side of the story today set out that negotiations are at an advanced stage. Meanwhile, from the English side comes talk of a £30M fee.
This comes following suggestions that if Leoni’s Liverpool move goes through as expected, it would not involve loaning the player back to Parma for the season to allow him to continue his development, which could signal that Liverpool have doubts about Joe Gomez’ long-term fitness.
Gomez is currently Liverpool’s third centre half behind Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, but he has been sidelined by an injury suffered in pre-season with his return date uncertain. The arrival of Guéhi would drop him to fourth on the depth chart. Leoni also being signed might push him off it.