Who is Liverpool target Giovanni Leoni – Andrea Pirlo loves him, idolises van Dijk
Liverpool have reportedly bid for Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni.
Liverpool need to add a new defender to their squad as they only have Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate as senior options right now.
That could be a problem in the Reds’ Premier League title defence, so it makes sense that Arne Slot’s side are in the market for a new signing in that area.
Here, Liverpool News profiles the young defender ahead of a potential move to Anfield.
Liverpool make Leoni bid
Liverpool look set to move from their pursuit of Marc Guehi, as they do not want to pay Crystal Palace’s £50million valuation.
It seems they have found their alternative, as TuttoMercatoWeb (8 August) reported that the Reds have had a £30.3million bid for Leoni rejected.
It states that the Italian club are holding out for a fee closer to £34.8m, and will not budge on that price.
Leoni’s Breakthrough in Italy – Praise from Pirlo
Leoni made his senior debut for Padova in March 2023 in Serie C and has gone from strength to strength since then.
He admitted that van Dijk was one of the players that he idolised during an interview in his time with the Padua-based side, saying: “I take inspiration from van Dijk and (Chris) Smalling.”
He secured a loan move to Sampdoria in February 2024 and impressed Italy and AC Milan legend Andrea Pirlo, who was the manager of the Serie B side.
The iconic midfielder was full of praise for the young defender after his first start for the Stadio Luigi Ferraris outfit.
- Speaking after the 3-1 win over Feralpisalo (3 March 2024), Pirlo said: “If someone had doubts about starting him from the first minute, I had none. I see him every day in training. He played as a mature youngster; he will become a strong footballer.”
He joined permanently in the summer, but he would move to Parma just two months later and has starred for the Serie A side so far, making 17 appearances.
- After he made his debut in Italy’s top-flight, Pirlo reacted, saying: “I’m very happy for him. We’re looking at a fantastic boy; I was sure he would reach Serie A. He deserves it.”
How does Leoni compare to Van Dijk and Konate?
Leoni stands at an imposing 6’5 but also boasts significant pace, which could make him a valuable asset for Slot’s side.
However, there is clearly a long way to go before he is anywhere near van Dijk or Konate’s level.
The current Anfield stars are miles ahead when it comes to bringing the ball out of defence and ball progression.
However, Leoni ranks considerably closer to his potential new teammates when it comes to aerial duels, and he is not too far away from Konate in ground duels.
Obviously, there is room for improvement, but that is expected as he is just 18 years old, and working under Slot and with the elite centre-backs that the Reds have, he will likely progress into a formidable player.
Fenway Sports Group have backed Slot so far, and if they can get him a centre-back, it would be an almost perfect window.
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