Leoni targeted by Liverpool as interest in young talent grows

Liverpool are the latest club to focus on Parma defender Giovanni Leoni, who has been given a €40m price tag amid Tottenham, Inter and Milan interest.

The centre-back is only 18 years old and has just 17 Serie A appearances under his belt, scoring one goal, but already made a big impression.

Considered one of the brightest young talents in Italian football, he has been linked with Inter and Milan throughout the summer.

They were unprepared to pay the €40m asking price set by Parma, needing first to make sales before raising those kinds of funds for a teenager.

Premier League clubs not put off by Leoni asking price

That might not be an issue for Liverpool, who are fresh from winning the Premier League title and recognised during pre-season friendlies that their defence is in need of reinforcements.

According to The Times newspaper, Leoni is one of the young centre-backs that Liverpool are keeping tabs on, along with Crystal Palace player Marc Guehi.

He had already been associated with a potential swoop from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

A product of the Padova youth academy, Leoni moved to Sampdoria in February 2024 and then was sold to Parma a few months later for €4.8m plus add-ons and a 10 per cent cut of the future transfer fee.