Giovanni Leoni is about to grow to be Liverpool’s third defensive signing of the summer season switch window, with the deal anticipated to undergo sooner somewhat than later.
It’s a transaction which has escalated quickly, with Florian Plettenberg reporting on Wednesday afternoon of a ‘full verbal settlement‘ earlier than Fabrizio Romano gave it the ‘right here we go’ remedy a couple of hours later, asserting (through X) {that a} €35m (£30.1m) transfer has been agreed.
The latter additionally outlined that the 18-year-old will come straight into Arne Slot’s senior squad, with a mortgage transfer not being mentioned at any stage, and that it took minimal persuasion on Richard Hughes’ half because the centre-back had utterly needed to affix the Reds.
Leoni as a consequence of arrive in Liverpool in the present day forward of £30m switch
Late on Wednesday night time, Romano took to X once more with additional particulars on Leoni’s immiment arrival, with {the teenager} as a consequence of have a medical imminently because the switch nears completion.
The reporter posted: ‘Perceive Giovanni Leoni will fly to Merseyside on Thursday, within the subsequent hours as cope with Liverpool is sealed! All paperwork have been accredited and LFC have simply authorised Leoni to fly for medical assessments. Right here we go, 100% confirmed!’
Leoni arrives in Liverpool with a wonderful status
Liverpool followers who’d been dreading the prospect of going into the brand new Premier League season with solely three senior centre-backs can now breathe an enormous sigh of aid that, because of the ever-proactive Hughes, we’re about to have further cowl in that place on the eve of our opening match.
The Bournemouth sport tomorrow night time will virtually actually be too quickly for Leoni to function, and he nonetheless has to return by means of the medical earlier than we will say with none concern of contradiction that he’ll be a Reds participant, nevertheless it appears to be only a matter of time earlier than the deal is made official.
That the Merseysiders are paying £30m for a defender with solely 33 senior appearances (half of which got here outdoors Serie A) attests to how extremely the Italian is rated and the way excessive a ceiling the Anfield hierarchy consider he has.
The 18-year-old is about to initially present backup to Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, with he and Joe Gomez (who’s again in coaching this week) available to step in when required.
Leoni is about to reach in Liverpool with a ringing endorsement from one in all his nation’s greatest-ever coaches in Arrigo Sacchi, a two-time European Cup winner with AC Milan, who described him in Gazzetta dello Sport as ‘an awesome coup’ and a ‘respectable man, hard-working, humble and really decided’.
These qualities ought to be certain that the teenage defender suits in completely at Anfield – Richard Hughes, you’ve accomplished it once more!
