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Liverpool have reached an agreement for Parma defender Giovanni Leoni, talkSPORT understands.
The Italian defender’s move to Anfield could be finalised within the next 24 hours.
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An agreement valued at £26 million plus additional add-ons has been largely finalized between Liverpool and the Serie A team, though the two clubs are still working on some minor specifications.
The Reds are eyeing a double defensive signing with both Leoni and Marc Guehi close to joining the club.
Exploratory talks have been held regarding the Crystal Palace captain.
Leoni is under contract with Parma in Serie A until 2029, but has caught the eye of Arne Slot.
The Dutch manager has made no secret of his desire to acquire a defender before the window closes.
Before their Community Shield loss to Palace on Sunday, he commented: “We have more than enough options [in that area], but if we see a chance in the market, we will not hesitate to act.”
In total, Liverpool have spent a massive £265.2m on Jeremie Frimpong, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Giorgi Mamardashvili.
The club have also brought in another two goalkeepers in Hungarian youngster Armin Pecsi, and veteran Freddie Woodman.
There’s a chance there could be more offers after Guehi, too, with Alexander Isak trying to force an Anfield move.
Newcastle rejected a £110m offer from Liverpool last month for the Swede, who has now told the club he won’t play for them again.
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Who is Giovanni Leoni?
The 18-year-old centre-back would already become one of Liverpool’s tallest players despite his tender age at around 6″4′.
He is the same height as Virgil van Dijk and Rhys Williams, and just two inches below their tallest player, goalkeeper Mamardashvili.
He previously played under Italy legend Andrea Pirlo at Sampdoria, before signing for Parma, and Pirlo has no doubts over his ability.
Following Leoni’s Parma debut, Pirlo said: “I am very happy for him.
“We are dealing with a fantastic boy, and I was sure he would make it to Serie A. He deserves it.”
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During Leoni’s spell under him last March, Pirlo explained: “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.”
Leoni is a fan of Van Dijk and Smalling
Leoni, who made 17 appearances in Serie A last season, will relish the opportunity to play alongside his footballing idol, Van Dijk.
The teenager also named former Manchester United and Roma defender Chris Smalling as another inspiration for his playstyle.
“I take inspiration from van Dijk and Smalling,” Leoni said when discussing his footballing influences during his time at Padova.
Why are Liverpool not breaching PSR?
Liverpool has consistently remained compliant with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability guidelines, and their careful spending in recent years has been particularly advantageous this summer.
The last season marked the club’s inaugural full term with the expanded Anfield Road End, resulting in a higher capacity of over 61,000 fans and increased matchday income.
Liverpool have also begun their new lucrative kit deal with Adidas, which has been valued more than their old partnership with Nike.
Those factors, alongside that careful approach to transfers, are paying dividends now, as per finance expert Kieran Maguire.
“Liverpool are in an incredibly strong position,” he told talkSPORT.
“Firstly, regarding revenue streams at Anfield, the expanded stadium now offers more tickets and seats, primarily catering to hospitality and corporate patrons, whose financial contributions tend to be substantial.
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“They’ve got the new shirt deal, which comes in on August 1 with Adidas, that’s going to be a substantial increase.
“They are highly sought-after by sponsors, who likely awarded bonuses for their Premier League victory, all of which positively impacts the club’s revenue.
“If you look at the players that have gone… Trent [Alexander-Arnold] has gone, he was on a very high wage, [Jarell] Quansah has gone – that will be pure profit. So they’re actually in a strong position.
“And then I’ve got the figures in front of me in terms of spending and all of the old-school ‘big six,’ Liverpool were sixth in the position [of net spend] over the course of the last three to four years.
“So they’ve actually been keeping their powder dry relatively to the other clubs.
“They spent a billion pounds less than Chelsea during that period.
“So they’re actually in the position to spend now because they’ve been quite cautious in the last couple of windows.”
