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Liverpool have agreed a £26 million deal to sign 18-year-old defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma, marking one of their major signings for the 2025 season. The agreement was reached late Wednesday, with Leoni set to travel to Liverpool to finalize personal terms and undergo a medical examination. This transfer deal takes Liverpool’s summer spending beyond the £300 million mark and represents a significant investment in strengthening their defensive options under manager Arne Slot.

Leoni, a promising centre-back, had attracted interest from several elite clubs, including Italian Serie A giant Inter Milan, but the player opted to join Liverpool due to the club’s vision and the opportunity to integrate directly into the first-team squad. Liverpool have ruled out any loan moves for Leoni, underlining their intention to use him as part of their immediate defensive lineup. This move is also a response to the situation with existing centre-backs; Ibrahima Konaté is entering the final year of his contract at Anfield, and the departure of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen created a need for reinforcement.

Leoni will bolster Liverpool’s defensive trio, joining Virgil van Dijk, Konaté, and Joe Gomez, with the latter recently returning to training after an Achilles injury. The arrival of Leoni comes as Liverpool prepare to defend their Premier League title, facing their season opener at home against Bournemouth.

Additionally, Liverpool are pursuing further defensive reinforcements, with ongoing talks reported for Crystal Palace’s England centre-back Marc Guéhi, rumored to cost around £30 million plus add-ons. Leoni’s transfer is a statement of intent by Liverpool to maintain a strong, competitive squad under Arne Slot’s management for the upcoming campaign.

PP