There was a great deal of commotion in Liverpool when the airport in the city posted video of the plane on its way to landing last late summer, loaded with Federico Chiesa. The Italian Euro star from 2020 was supposed to give the Liverpool attack under Arne Slot a new creative and explosive force on the wing. A total of 466 minutes on the pitch with two cup goals and two assists during his debut season tells a different story. Now, however, Liverpool are returning to Serie A to bet on another Italian. In a position Italy has nurtured some of the world’s best players.
This time, the reigning Premier League champions are in for an up and coming player. Transfer journalists Nicoló Schira and Romano report Liverpool have agreed a contract with one of Italy’s biggest centre-back talents until 2031. 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni has 17 Serie A games under his belt.
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Liverpool targeted Marc Guehi, but Crystal Palace opted to take the Community Shield title – and keep Cuehi.
It is uncertain what Liverpool’s plan is for Leoni after signing the contract, but Romano claims Slot is keen to include the Parma player worth around €40 million in the squad now.
Crucially, for that process to be quickly settled, is that if the teenager joins the Liverpool squad this summer, he would eventually qualify as a home grown player under FA rules. To become eligible for homegrown player, a player must have spent a period of three seasons – consecutively or not – at a club under the FA or the Welsh Football Association before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season at which he turns 21).
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Leoni smells this in the Liverpool squad already this season. Football history has shown Italy has nurtured some of the best centre-backs in the world, Liverpool are betting on Leoni to carry on this tradition – in the red shirt.
