Liverpool last week completed a £26m deal for teenage defender Leoni, the 6’5 Italian centre-back who turned heads with his breakout season at Parma. With 17 Serie A appearances under his belt, he already looks like the kid you reluctantly lend money to. Only to realise he’s bought the whole corner shop. The Reds, under sporting director Richard Hughes, saw enough potential to seal the swoop—and make no mistake, this is a signing built for the long haul.
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Leoni vs the Van Dijk-Konate wall
Here’s the real question: where does he actually play? With Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate cemented as Liverpool’s defensive skyscrapers, Leoni may spend more time polishing his boots than making crunching tackles at Anfield. Joe Gomez remains the Swiss Army knife of the backline, which means patience could be Leoni’s best attribute this year. Throwing him into the Premier League furnace too early might be like dropping a fresher into a PhD viva—brutal, messy, and avoidable.
Leoni and the Guehi dilemma
Marc Guehi continues to lurk in Liverpool’s transfer shadows. Palace’s captain, out of contract in 2026, looks like a bargain waiting to happen. Liverpool’s Leoni move does not rule out a Guehi deal—it simply buys time. And for Palace? The situation grows “dangerous,” as reports suggest Guehi could just run down his contract while humming “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
My take on Leoni’s future
This feels like a smart, forward-looking gamble. For £26m, Liverpool essentially bought tomorrow’s defensive anchor. If he develops properly, the Reds could have another Joel Matip-style steal—only taller, younger, and (hopefully) less injury-prone.At the moment, the fans across Liverpool could only delight themselves with the speculative process. Worst-case scenario? He becomes the world’s tallest ballboy. Best-case? He’s the heir to van Dijk’s throne.And honestly, that future sounds like something every Liverpool fan should be excited about.