Liverpool agree €35m fee with Parma to sign Italy Under-19 defender Giovanni Leoni - reports
Published 13/08/2025 at 21:31 GMT+1
Liverpool have agreed a €35 million (£30.18m) fee to sign Parma defender Giovanni Leoni, it has been widely reported. TNT Sports understands a deal is close. Leoni made 17 appearances and scored one goal in a breakout season for Parma last term, while he has also represented Italy at under-19 level. Liverpool are looking to add to their defensive line, after Jarell Quansah's departure.
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Liverpool have agreed a fee to sign Parma defender Giovanni Leoni, it has been widely reported.
As per a spate of reports, including from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have agreed to pay the Italian side around €35 million (£30.18m) for the 18-year-old.
A sell-on clause is also said to have been included as part of any potential move.
TNT Sports understands a deal is close.
Leoni made 17 appearances and scored one goal in a breakout season for Parma last term, while he also represented Italy at under-19 level.
The £35m departure of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen and an injury to Joe Gomez has left Arne Slot with a lack of depth in central defence.
Indeed, the Dutchman admitted in the wake of their Community Shield penalty shoot-out defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday that The Reds are conceding too many goals.
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Slot said: "What made us really strong last season was we only won mostly [by] a margin of one goal and that had mostly to do with us keeping a clean sheet or, as a maximum, conceding one goal.
"It needs maybe a little bit of adjustment defensively at the moment because we don't concede a lot of chances, but we do concede goals at the moment."
The Premier League champions have already spent over £300m this summer on Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Armin Pesci and Freddie Woodman.
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But Liverpool’s spending looks set to continue. Beyond Leoni, they have also been linked with a move for Palace centre-back and skipper Marc Guehi, who has just one year remaining on his deal with The Eagles.
Moreover, the Merseysiders are thought to be interested in Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, with a move for the Swede set to cost well in excess of £120m.
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