Report: 'Real star' is now making a huge impression on Liverpool insiders
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Giovanni Leoni has hardly featured since his summer transfer due to injury, but the youngster’s dedication to gym work has now caught the eye of those inside Liverpool.The stopper suffered a long-term injury on his Reds debut back in September that has since kept him sidelined.Leoni gave an update on his condition in January and did not reveal when he would be back in action. But he is still working hard behind the scenes, and those at Kirkby have been hugely impressed with how he is training on his way back to fitness.
If Gakpo and Salah aren’t to blame for their poor form, then who is? 🤔 Slot was quick to move any blame away from Gakpo after being asked about one goal in nine games…Credit: Molly Darlington/Getty Images Giovanni Leoni gym work impressing people inside LiverpoolA report from the Daily Mail has said that the centre-back, who joined from Parma in the 2025 summer transfer window, already has a strong command of English, which is endearing him to many.But it is Leoni’s work ethic that is actually hugely impressive to people inside Liverpool right now.After rupturing his cruciate ligament, there are no indications that the player will be back soon, as he has yet to return to running on the grass.It means Liverpool fans probably won’t see the youngster in action again until pre-season or the start of the 2026/27 campaign.Despite his limited minutes as a Red so far, however, Leoni has already been called a ‘real star’ by Jamie Redknapp.He is part of a long-term plan to secure the next generation of Liverpool’s centre-backs, which also included the addition of Jeremy Jacquet in the 2026 winter transfer window. Konate earns £70,000-a-week, Liverpool surely need to make a big offer for him to stay?!
Credit: Visionhaus/Getty Images However, ahead of linking up with Liverpool in the summer, Jacquet also suffered a long-term injury, and there has now been a suggestion he may not even be fit when the start of next season rolls around.At the same time, reports that Ibrahima Konate could leave for free have once again garnered traction in the last couple of days.That could therefore mean that Leoni and Virgil van Dijk begin 2026/27 as Liverpool’s starting centre-back pairing.Join Our NewsletterReceive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox