Arne Slot offers update on Liverpool 'beast' who will be like $35M new signing next season
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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot brought up Giovanni Leoni during his press conference ahead of facing Crystal Palace at Anfield in the Premier League this weekendLiverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Molly Darlington/Getty Images)Liverpool center-back Giovanni Leoni has been stepping up his recovery from an ACL injury and Arne Slot has offered an update on the teenager.Injured during his debut against Southampton in the League Cup back in November, when Leoni had looked assured and impressive, albeit against second-tier opposition, the Italian has had to work hard off the field over the last few months.Signed from Parma last summer for around $35 million (£26 million), the hope is that he can become a regular option again next season, alongside Jeremy Jacquet, another major defensive talent, who will come in from Rennes.READ MORE: Arne Slot issues Liverpool injury latest with updates on Alisson and Giorgi MamardashviliREAD MORE: Arne Slot issues Hugo Ekitike injury update after Liverpool striker undergoes surgery"If you look at Giovanni Leoni, I don’t know if you once in a while see some Instagram posts from the club, but this guy becomes a beast!" Slot said on Friday.During his time on the sidelines, Leoni has been working in the gym to recover fully and hit the ground running during the summer.Just like with Alexander Isak, who has been missing for much of his debut campaign at Anfield, the player will genuinely be like a new signing next season once he is fit again, given he has played so little so far.Giovanni Leoni injured his ACL on his Liverpool debut and has been out for six months.(Image: Getty Images)"He's still very young but he is definitely one of the brightest of the new breed of Italian defenders coming through," Emmet Gates, an Italian soccer expert for Destination Calcio, told Liverpool.com last summer."He's comfortable on the ball but not amazing yet — that's something to work on in time. And he is not the finished product by any means."He's tall, he's strong.
He is kind of a fusion of the two."He loves a tackle and getting himself about, but he also likes pinging the ball from one side to the next. Learn moreFrom $100LFC.comSee the dealLiverpool's home and away strips for the 2025/26 season are the first in their new partnership with adidas.Fans can order jerseys in the US at Fanatics.com or via the LFC Online Store in both the US and across the world."He is a very talented and promising defender, but he has only made 17 appearances in Serie A," Lorenzo Bettoni, the editor of Football Italia, explained."His best games were probably against Juventus and Napoli, playing against Vlahovic and Lukaku.
He seems to be a very complete defender — but I'm saying 'seems to be' because he is really, really young."Liverpool.com says: Leoni is a major talent. Alongside Jacquet, he could be the future of the Liverpool defense, and he will learn from Virgil van Dijk in the meantime.