Giovanni Leoni is on Liverpool’s radar as the Premier League champions attempt to convince the Parma centre-back to leave Italy, with his price tag fairly low.
Leoni is one of the primary candidates as Liverpool consider adding at least one new centre-back to Arne Slot‘s squad before the transfer window closes.
This Is Anfield understands the situation around a deal is exploratory at present, with no contact made with the 18-year-old’s club as it stands.
Instead the focus is on convincing now is the right time for Leoni to leave his home country and make the move to the Premier League.
Crucial to any urgency over that process is that if the teenager were to join Liverpool this summer he would eventually qualify as a homegrown player under FA rules.
In order to become homegrown eligible, a player must spent a period of three seasons – continuous or otherwise – at a club under the FA or Welsh FA before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).
If he were to join Liverpool this summer, Leoni would turn 21 during his third campaign with the club – and therefore would qualify as homegrown in 2028/29.
Before then the Italy youth international would not take up a spot in the senior squad for the Premier League as he would be classed as under-21.
How much are Parma asking for Leoni?
While the specifics of any proposed deal are as yet unknown, reports in Italy are stating Parma’s asking price at around €40 million (£34.6m).
That is similar to the fee brought in with Jarell Quansah‘s sale to Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the summer, with it realistic that – were he to join – Leoni would effectively take the Englishman’s place.
It is well known that Liverpool are facing no issues with the Premier League‘s profit and sustainability rules despite a heavy-spending summer so far.
This is aided by seven senior players being sold for a combined £191 million so far and the scope for others, such as Harvey Elliott and Kostas Tsimikas, to follow in big-money deals.
Liverpool could therefore feasibly target deals for both Leoni and Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi – who himself would class as homegrown – along with a potential British record transfer for Newcastle‘s Alexander Isak.
Isak would take Darwin Nunez‘s spot in the squad as a non-homegrown player, with there no further need to reduce the numbers to comply with squad rules.