Liverpool agree £26million plus add-ons deal for 6ft 4in teenage wonderkid

Liverpool have reached an settlement for Parma defender Giovanni Leoni, talkSPORT understands.

The Italian defender’s transfer to Anfield might be finalised throughout the subsequent 24 hours.

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A value £26million plus add-ons has been broadly agreed between Liverpool and the Serie A aspect, though the 2 golf equipment are ironing out the smaller particulars.

The Reds are eyeing a double defensive signing with each Leoni and Marc Guehi near becoming a member of the membership.

Exploratory talks have been held concerning the Crystal Palace captain.

Leoni is beneath contract with Parma in Serie A till 2029, however has caught the attention of Arne Slot.

The Dutch supervisor has made no secret of his want to accumulate a defender earlier than the window closes.

Previous to Sunday’s Neighborhood Defend defeat to Palace, he stated: “We have now greater than sufficient choices [in that area]but when we see an opportunity out there, we won’t hesitate to behave.”

In complete, Liverpool have spent a large £265.2m on Jeremie Frimpong, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The membership have additionally introduced in one other two goalkeepers in Hungarian teenager Armin Pecsi, and veteran Freddie Woodman.

There’s an opportunity there might be extra gives after Guehi, too, with Alexander Isak making an attempt to power an Anfield transfer.

Newcastle rejected a £110m provide from Liverpool final month for the Swede, who has now instructed the membership he will not play for them once more.

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Who’s Giovanni Leoni?

The 18-year-old centre-back would already turn into one in every of Liverpool’s tallest gamers regardless of his tender age at round 6″4′.

He is similar top as Virgil van Dijk and Rhys Williams, and simply two inches beneath their tallest participant, goalkeeper Mamardashvili.

He beforehand performed beneath Italy legend Andrea Pirlo at Sampdoria, earlier than signing for Parma, and Pirlo has no doubts over his means.

Following Leoni’s Parma debut, Pirlo stated: “I’m very pleased for him.

“We’re coping with a unbelievable boy, and I used to be positive he would make it to Serie A. He deserves it.”

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Throughout Leoni’s spell beneath him final March, Pirlo defined: “If somebody had doubts about beginning him from the primary minute, I had none.

“I see him day by day in coaching. He performed as a mature teenager; he’ll turn into a robust footballer.”

Leoni is a fan of Van Dijk and Smalling

Leoni, who made 17 appearances in Serie A final season, will relish the chance to play alongside his footballing idol, Van Dijk.

{The teenager} additionally named former Manchester United and Roma defender Chris Smalling as one other inspiration for his playstyle.

“I take inspiration from van Dijk and Smalling,” Leoni stated when discussing his footballing influences throughout his time at Padova.

Why are Liverpool not breaching PSR?

Liverpool have by no means been near failing the Premier League’s revenue and sustainability laws, and the frugal outlays lately have proved notably useful this summer season.

Final season was the membership’s first full marketing campaign with an expanded Anfield Street Finish – thus a better capability at 61,000-plus followers, and larger matchday income.

Liverpool have additionally begun their new profitable package cope with Adidas, which has been valued greater than their previous partnership with Nike.

These components, alongside that cautious method to transfers, are paying dividends now, as per finance professional Kieran Maguire.

“Liverpool are in an extremely sturdy place,” he instructed talkSPORT.

“Initially, by way of the cash coming in at Anfield, they now have an expanded stadium and the brand new tickets and the brand new seats which can be out there are going to the hospitality, to going to company followers and the yield there tends to be very excessive.

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“They have the brand new shirt deal, which is available in on August 1 with Adidas, that is going to be a considerable improve.

“They’re extremely standard with sponsors, and the sponsors can have paid bonuses for them profitable the Premier League, so all of these are positives by way of the cash coming in.

“In case you take a look at the gamers which have gone… Trent [Alexander-Arnold] has gone, he was on a really excessive wage, [Jarell] Quansah has gone – that will likely be pure revenue. So that they’re truly in a robust place.

“After which I’ve bought the figures in entrance of me by way of spending and the entire old-school ‘massive six,’ Liverpool had been sixth within the place [of net spend] over the course of the final three to 4 years.

“So that they’ve truly been protecting their powder dry comparatively to the opposite golf equipment.

“They spent a billion kilos lower than Chelsea throughout that interval.

“So that they’re truly within the place to spend now as a result of they have been fairly cautious within the final couple of home windows.”