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Liverpool have sealed a £26 million swoop for Parma’s 18-year-old centre back Giovanni Leoni, with the Italian teenager set to undergo his Liverpool medical today.

Head coach Arne Slot confirmed the agreement in his pre-Bournemouth press conference, saying:

“The clubs have agreed a deal but he hasn’t signed

The moment he signs I can go into more detail.”

Born in Rome and standing at 6 ft 5 in, Leoni broke into Parma’s back three midway through last season under Cristian Chivu, making 17 Serie A appearances and helping the club grind out impressive defensive displays.

Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, flew to Italy on Wednesday to finalize terms with Parma chief executive Federico Cherubini, with add-on clauses expected to boost the initial fee.

Despite early speculation that he might be loaned back to Italy for further seasoning, Liverpool have committed to integrating Leoni straight into the first-team squad, giving the towering youngster the chance to learn alongside captain Virgil van Dijk.

Now Paul Joyce has reported that both Newcastle United and Manchester United made late efforts to try and hijack the deal, but to no avail.

The Times journalist also revealed that the Reds held off competition from Serie A sides in AC Milan and Inter Milan.

For Newcastle, it marks yet another high-profile miss this transfer window, following their unsuccessful pursuit of young stars.

In total, Leoni has just 33 senior appearances under his belt, yet Liverpool’s £26 million outlay shows their confidence in his potential.

The fee equates to around £500,000 for every Serie A match he has played — a clear indication of the premium placed on emerging defensive talent in today’s game.

Giovanni Leoni has been spotted en route to Liverpool FC.

Leoni has been given the green light to undergo his Liverpool medical today, with a £26 million transfer now fully agreed between the two clubs following talks concluded late on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old centre-back will link up with Arne Slot’s first-team squad straight away and is not expected to be loaned out.

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