Liverpool manager Arne Slot has expressed content with the performances of new signing Giovanni Leoni in training.
The teenager completed a move to the Premier League champions earlier this month from Italian side Parma, in a deal worth up to £26 million including add-ons.
The Italy U19 center-back signed a six-year deal that keeps him at the club until 2031 and could make his debut against Newcastle United on Monday night.
“He has trained with us three times now I think,” Slot hailed the 18-year-old defender.
“If you look at his transfer fee, you can expect that he is already quite grown up for his age – and that’s exactly what I saw.
He comes in as an 18-year-old just playing with his new team-mates as if he is here for longer. Impressive; if you look at how tall he is, fast, comfortable on the ball”, he continued.
Leoni made his senior debut in 2023 and featured 17 times for Parma in the league last season in a breakthrough campaign.
He became the eight signing of the summer for the Reds following other high profile arrivals including the likes of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Milos Kerkez.
“There’s a reason why we paid the transfer fee we did, because we see him as a bright prospect”, Slot added.
“It also tells you something about the team. If you come to this club, if you come into this team, you feel at ease from the start because it’s a very good and nice group to start your Liverpool career in.”
Liverpool began their title defense with a 4-2 win over Bournemouth in the opening weekend of the 2025/26 season and travel to Tyneside to face Newcastle United on Monday, in a repeat of the 2025 EFL Cup final.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
