Liverpool are on the verge of completing a shock £26m transfer for a standout Serie A defender, as Arne Slot looks to reinforce his backline ahead of the new Premier League campaign. The Reds have accelerated talks in recent days and could finalise the deal shortly, with the player viewed as a key addition to Liverpool’s defensive rebuild this summer.
The Premier League champions have already spent upwards of £180m, with the £116m capture of Florian Wirtz this summer grabbing all the headlines in English football.
Liverpool want to spend more money before the end of the window, and they could still end up signing two centre-backs in the ongoing transfer window.
The Merseyside giants have their eyes on Marc Guehi, but the club are now considering snapping an 18-year-old Serie A defender for a deal worth £26m this summer.
Name the team Liverpool signed these players from in the 2010s
Liverpool have their eyes on a teenage Serie A defender for a £26m transfer
According to InterNews, Liverpool are interested in snapping up the 18-year-old Parma defender, Giovanni Leoni, this summer.
The teenage centre-back has been part of the Parma squad since the start of last season, but had a breakout second half of the campaign where he became a regular in the starting eleven.
The young defender has emerged as a huge target for Serie A giants AC Milan and Juventus, but Liverpool have now joined the race to sign him.
Liverpool have received glowing reports from their squad on Leoni and are pushing to take him to England as part of their transfer strategy.
Parma are aware that they are unlikely to hold on to the youngster for too long due to interest from bigwigs of Italian football and the Premier League.
The Serie A outfit are ready to sell him for a £26m fee this summer.
Liverpool want to invest in young talent
With Virgil van Dijk in the twilight of his career and Ibrahima Konate considering leaving Liverpool, the club are aware that they need to invest in a defender sooner rather than later.
Marc Guehi has emerged as a huge opportunity to sign a top centre-back for a reasonable fee this summer. However, the club want to bring in younger talents as well.
Leoni is viewed as the next best defender of Italian football, and Liverpool are considering snapping him up before his price explodes.
They would have to convince a young player to leave Italy early in his career and take the chance of making it at Liverpool.
AC Milan and Juventus seem like more logical moves for Leoni, but the Merseyside giants want to have a say in the transfer saga.
Leoni has the talent to become a pillar for Liverpool in the near future if the transfer happens.
