Liverpool: Arne Slot reveals Giovanni Leoni injury timeline and squad change
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Sport | Football
Reds boss would not be drawn on Marc Guehi transfer failure ahead of Crystal Palace clash
Update: Arne Slot faced the media before Liverpool meet Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park
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George Floodjust now
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Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni faces a year out of action with a serious knee injury, manager Arne Slot has confirmed.
The 18-year-old centre-back was hurt earlier this week on his first appearance at Anfield following a £26million move from Serie A side Parma last month.
Leoni impressed on debut at home to Championship side Southampton in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, but landed awkwardly following a late challenge in the 2-1 win.
He received treatment on the pitch and was eventually stretchered off, with subsequent tests revealing an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Slot has now confirmed that Leoni will be on the sidelines for around a year having torn his ACL.
“He’s not in a good place, of course,” the Reds boss said on Friday, ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
“He tore his ACL which means that he will be out for around a year.
“Being so young, coming to a new country, playing so well in your first game, it’s very hard to take the positives.
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“He still has so many years to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that.”
Slot also confirmed reports that Liverpool would look to add Federico Chiesa to their Champions League squad in place of compatriot Leoni, with new UEFA rules allowing for one player who suffers a serious injury or illness before matchday six of the league phase to be replaced.
The injury to Leoni also comes after Crystal Palace pulled out of a deal to sell captain Marc Guehi to Liverpool at the 11th hour on transfer deadline day.
The absence of the Italian leaves only Joe Gomez as recognised senior centre-back cover for first-choice duo Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate until at least the January window.
Slot would not be drawn further on the failed move for Guehi ahead of Saturday’s visit to Selhurst Park, a rematch of last month’s Community Shield clash that was won by Palace on penalties at Wembley, insisting: “We have more than enough options to replace, if needed, a player at the centre-back position because of course we have Virgil, Joe and Ibou (Konate), and other options if needed.”
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Giovanni Leoni
Marc Guehi
Arne Slot
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