Liverpool are continuing to add fresh talent to their ranks to bolster their chances of winning the Premier League and the Champions League this season.
Arne Slot will no doubt want to retain the title this term, and with the players he’s already brought in, such as Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, it’s clear that he means business.
Although over £200million has been spent on new arrivals thus far, due to the sheer number of sales they’ve made this season, Liverpool still have plenty of money to spend from their transfer kitty.
Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, looks on during the 2025 FA Community Shield match between Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium
Photo by Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
And, even though Alexander Isak’s future has been causing a massive stir over the last couple of days, it’s not his exit that has left a manager angry.
Arrigo Sacchi is ‘angry’ that Giovanni Leoni is moving to Liverpool
After the sale of Jarell Quansah, it was clear that at least one new centre back would need to be brought in this summer.
As much as Slot would rather spend his money elsewhere on the pitch, due to the unreliability of Joe Gomez, a new centre-back is a must.
And, in a column for La Gazzetta dello Sport, former AC Milan manager Arrigo Sacchi has shared his verdict on the 18-year-old’s potential Anfield switch.
“Liverpool would make a great signing, and he could thrive in the Premier League. It’s a shame he’s eluding the big clubs in Serie A,” he wrote.
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“On the one hand, the news makes me immensely happy, and on the other, it makes me a little angry.
“Let me explain – I’m happy that an Italian player is receiving praise from a major club like Liverpool, but I wish AC Milan or Inter, Juventus, or Napoli were competing for his transfer, not a foreign club.”
Parma defender Giovanni Leoni pictured playing against Juventus.
Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images
Giovanni Leoni is the perfect addition for Liverpool this summer
Looking at the additions that Slot and Richard Hughes have made to the Liverpool team this season, it’s clear that they’re mainly eyeing players with plenty of potential to fulfil.
Indeed, some players such as Wirtz are already at the top of their game, but since the German is still just 22 years old, there’s plenty of time for him to grow and become an even better player.
Leoni is only 18, and since Virgil van Dijk now has two years left on his current contract, that time could be used to mentor the youngster and develop him into a top-class centre-back.
Marc Guehi is another player on Liverpool’s shortlist, and while he may break the boundaries that Hughes set for the age of a defender, if too good an opportunity arises, they’d be silly to let him go.
Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi holds the Community Shield after beating Liverpool on penalties at Wembley
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
At the end of the day, it’s clear that Leoni would be joining Liverpool for a season to develop and fine-tune his skillset, which, at the age of 18, is arguably the perfect way to be integrated into a team.
Of course, only time will tell what the future has in store, but since Ben Jacobs reported that Liverpool were ‘close’ to agreeing personal terms with Leoni as a deal worth around £30million was agreed upon, it feels like it’s only a matter of time before he’s officially announced.