Parma’s Giovanni Leoni to join Slot’s Liverpool in Premier League | OneFootball

From Padova to the Premier League in less than three years. The football journey of Giovanni Leoni, a central defender born in 2007, is enriched with a prestigious chapter.

Parma, Giovanni Leoni lands in the Premier League: Liverpool under Slot ready to welcome him

At this moment, the young talent from Parma is flying to England: his destination is Liverpool, where the Reds' coach, Arne Slot, awaits him to complete the transfer deal.

A 35 million transfer

Leoni's move from Parma to Liverpool is now in its final stages. Only bureaucratic formalities remain: medical examinations and contract signing, expected by tomorrow, Friday, August 15. The agreement includes a fee of 35 million euros, including bonuses, as well as a percentage on future resale in favor of Parma.

Slot confirms: “Agreement reached”

In the press conference on the eve of the first Premier League match against Bournemouth, Slot confirmed the agreement between the clubs:

“The clubs have reached an agreement, but he hasn't signed for us yet. Once he does, I can go into details.”

The Dutch coach aims to immediately integrate Leoni into the squad, dismissing the idea of a loan to Parma. The goal is to help him grow by facing the Premier League right away and allowing him to study closely a defensive leader like Virgil van Dijk.

Liverpool's defensive needs

Leoni's arrival addresses specific squad needs. The Reds could potentially lose Ibrahima Konaté, whose contract expires in 2026 and is targeted by Real Madrid, while there are ongoing uncertainties about Joao Gomez's physical condition. For this reason, the management does not rule out the purchase of another central defender. Among the names linked is Marc Guéhi from Crystal Palace, captain in the recent victory of the Londoners in the Community Shield against Liverpool. However, Slot avoided the topic, deferring any comments to the Palace management.

A summer of record investments

With the acquisition of Leoni, Liverpool continues a summer transfer market as a leading player: over 300 million euros already spent to strengthen the squad. The choice to focus on an eighteen-year-old defender confirms the club's attention to emerging talents, with the intention of building a solid future without sacrificing immediate competitiveness.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.