Speculative Or Genius Business: Liverpool Signs Giovanni Leoni

Leoni adds strength in depth to what appeared a Liverpool defense low on options.

Parma Calcio 1913 via Getty Images

6-foot-4, well-built, able to read danger, and someone who uses his strength to shrug off opponents—a certain Liverpool defender has it all.

Now make that two?

Virgil van Dijk is the center-back who springs to mind when discussing Liverpool’s achievements in the modern era. Now, another totemic presence is walking into the building. 16 years his junior, Giovanni Leoni has completed a transfer from Serie A side Parma for around €30 million ($35 million) before add-ons. The contract will run until 2031.

Quiet Confidence In Leoni

It’s a high fee considering Leoni is still a teenager, having made just 17 appearances in Italy’s top tier. And there should always be a degree of caution when hyping up youngsters. On the other hand, if Liverpool strikes gold with the Italian—and he takes over the reins from van Dijk—it could be the bargain of the decade. Especially given how inflated the market is today.

As it happens, Leoni has singled out the Netherlands captain as an inspiration. And while he’s got much to learn and prove, there’s indeed a similar flavor to his game. Highlights of Leoni outmuscling Napoli’s powerful forward Romelu Lukaku are piquing interest. So they should.

Liverpool will have done its research on Leoni. That he wasn’t well-known to everyone outside Italy, and that Serie A’s strongest forces didn’t go all in for the 18-year-old, suggests the Reds have seen something special and prioritized him over more established candidates. More often than not, the English champion has received a good return on its player investments.

The team’s need for a defender is apparent. Liverpool conceded in every preseason game bar one, including four against AC Milan and two versus Crystal Palace. As it beds in new offensive talents and adjusts its style, gaps have opened up, with van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté looking vulnerable on occasion. Joe Gomez is a reinforcement, but he’s recovering from an injury.

If unwilling to meet Crystal Palace’s asking price for reliable enforcer Marc Guéhi—also a possible addition—Liverpool will be counting on the 18-year-old to step up as early as this season. It appears to trust his raw abilities.

The View From Italy

On Wednesday, one of Italy’s most influential head coaches, Arrigo Sacchi, offered his take (Italian) on Leoni in La Gazzetta dello Sport. “They tell me he’s a good guy—willing to work hard, humble, determined. Character is fundamental in a player’s career, as is temperament. If you have these two qualities, then your career can progress without particular problems. It seems Leoni is off to a good start: after all, if a big European club like Liverpool is persistently pursuing him, then there must be a reason.”

Were he to succeed, it would come as an anomaly for Liverpool, which doesn’t have a history of Italians flourishing at Anfield. Short on minutes, Leoni’s compatriot Federico Chiesa is already there, while Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini, Alberto Aquilani, Andrea Dossena, Daniele Padelli, and Gabriel Paletta have gone before him.

How he fares over the coming seasons equally concerns supporters of the Italian national team. The Azzurri have a long line of excellent defenders, one of whom is retired Euro 2020 hero Leonardo Bonucci, who sees potential in Leoni.

“Leoni, for me, is becoming a very strong player,” Bonucci opined (Italian) when former striker Luca Toni asked him for three promising Italian defenders on Prime Video Sport IT last December. He also commented, “It’s true that soccer has changed. Today, a defender who plays and has good technique is preferred. But in Italy, there’s the problem of not knowing how to wait. We need to allow these young players to play and make mistakes. Some deserve to play at 18 or 19.”

Leoni will do well to play regular games as he acclimatizes to the Premier League. In any case, here is a name for the future.