Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

That's likely how Liverpool feel just now having made progress on both Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi and, more pertinently, Parma teenager Giovanni Leoni this week.

In the case of England international Guehi, the ECHO reported back in June that a late move might be in the offing once Palace had reduced the asking price for a player who had made it clear a new contract would not be signed at Selhurst Park.

Having turned down as many as four offers between £60-65m from Newcastle last year, the FA Cup holders entered the summer months in a somewhat bullish mood over Guehi and were determined not to lose him for a fee that was far below his level of talent.



READ MORE:Arne Slot sets Liverpool squad a new challenge after 'weird' admission over team behaviourREAD MORE:Liverpool close in on £26m Giovanni Leoni transfer to take summer transfer spending past £300m

But as the window has edged closer to its September 1 deadline and Guehi made it clear a new deal was not on the cards - coupled with £40m target Ousmane Diomande so far remaining at Portuguese side Sporting - it has become apparent for Palace that a sale would be in their best interests.

That, perhaps, explains part of the reason why Palace chairman Steve Parish was fronting up in the Wembley mixed zone on Sunday after the FA Cup winners had beaten the Premier League holders in the Community Shield on penalties.

Oliver Glasner, according to reports from those closely connected to the club, would prefer to keep Guehi for the season ahead as they gear up for a first-ever campaign in the Europa Conference League.

Article continues below

Monday's outcome of Palace's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over their Europa League expulsion was probably the most likely reason for Parish's emergence in the Wembley bowels, but his update on the futures of both Guehi and Eberechi Eze did little to reassure supporters hoping to see both stay.

“Yes, of course, for players of that calibre to leave on a free, it is a problem for a football club,” Parish said.

Guehi, as the ECHO reported in July, would jump at the chance to move to the champions but it is understood that negotiations over personal terms are yet to take place.

With Joe Gomez - without a Premier League appearance since December - the only other senior centre-back at present in the Reds' squad, the need for a new defender is glaring, even if Arne Slot's insistence over Wataru Endo's capabilities is to be taken at face value.

So an England international who only turned 25 last month for a relatively modest fee by modern standards is something of a no-brainer.

The move for Guehi is viewed as independent of the club's more long-term search for a younger centre-half who is, in time, capable of stepping into the void that Virgil van Dijk will leave whenever the Reds captain decides to move on or call time on his career.

Now aged 34, there are at least two seasons left of the peerless Dutchman on Merseyside and while supporters won't like to countenance a world without the No.4, people at the club have been attempting to recruit a handful of up-and-comers for a number of years now.

Two years ago, it was Levi Colwill who was the object of Liverpool's affections but having just come off an impressive loan spell at Brighton, getting Chelsea to the negotiating table was always going to be difficult.

Last year, Leny Yoro chose first-team minutes and a considerably increased wage packet at Manchester United over Real Madrid and Liverpool before los Blancos triggered Dean Huijsen's £50m release clause at Bournemouth in June.

It is now Parma's Leoni who Liverpool have turned to as the young Italian undergoes a Merseyside medical ahead of his £26m move.

Champions League finalists Inter had initially been thought of as leading the hunt, having seen the Nerazzurri appoint Cristian Chivu - Leoni's former boss - as Simone Inzaghi's successor in Milan.

And it looks like having been made to play the long game over their centre-back search, the Premier League champions have finally landed their man in the shape of man-mountain Leoni.

The Reds are big admirers of Leoni, who moved to Parma from Sampdoria for around £5m last summer, and stepped up negotiations in recent days, with sporting director Richard Hughes eventually coming to an agreement with his counterpart Federico Cherubini on Wednesday evening.

Liverpool have tracked his development for some time and feel he had a strong showing last term with 17 first-team appearances for Parma.

Hughes's depth of knowledge of Serie A and his bulging contacts in Italian football has likely allowed them to steal a march on other interested Premier League parties, including Newcastle United and Manchester United, who were both reportedly to be keen.

“Liverpool would make a great signing," wrote the legendary Arrigo Sacchi.

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.”

Article continues below

And after opening talks with Palace for Guehi, Liverpool are now ready to finally end a near three-summer wait for their next young prospect at the heart of the defence to go alongside him.
For more news relating to Chelsea, visit our sister site Chelsea Latest Live.