Liverpool are closing in on a deal for Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni, while 24 players trained on Wednesday ahead of the Premier League opener against Bournemouth.
Today’s Main LFC Headline
Liverpool are moving quickly to wrap up a deal for highly-rated centre-back Giovanni Leoni, with reports on Wednesday suggesting the fee being discussed is between £25 million and £30 million.
Sky Sports state “both clubs are negotiating the final details,” which suggests the deal could be finalised imminently.
Journalist Ben Jacobs, who has become a reliable source for transfers this summer, claimed on X it could even be finalised in “24 hours or less.”
He adds the fee discussed is “around £30m, potentially even slightly under,” which would represent another smart piece of business from the club, who needed depth in the position.
It is, however, not a case of one or the other when it comes to Leoni and Marc Guehi – this really is an all-time transfer window, and there’s at least one target left on the board…
Today’s Liverpool FC News
• Joe Gomez made his return to training on Wednesday after nearly three weeks out with an Achilles injury. He was one of 24 players spotted – still no Conor Bradley, but Kostas Tsimikas was involved amid transfer interest
• Liverpool’s Isaac Mabaya was stretchered off in his first start on loan with Wigan on Tuesday, another cruel injury for the youngster
• Stefan Bajcetic is edging closer to a return from a hamstring injury having been spotted at the AXA on Wednesday. He was seen working in the indoor gym
• Liverpool’s possible Champions League opponents have narrowed with one play-off round remaining – Simon Mignolet‘s Club Brugge are among the teams vying for the final seven spots
• Anthony Taylor will be the referee for Liverpool’s opening game of the season, with Michael Oliver acting as lead VAR – here’s to another year of referees dominating headlines…
More from This Is Anfield
Pre-season has concluded and after six friendlies and the Community Shield, Danny Gallagher takes a look at the best and worst performers of the summer.
Of course, the primary aim of pre-season isn’t to get a 10 in our ratings, but it’s always interesting to see who made an impression. Who do you think got the highest score?
READ: Liverpool FC Player Ratings – Best and worst performers in 2025 pre-season
Elsewhere in the football world today
• Bernardo Silva has explained why he did not clap for Liverpool during their guard of honour in 2020, saying “that’s not how I celebrate defeat” – it’s just a little thing called respect (The Times)
• Leeds United have reached an agreement in principle to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin after he left Everton as a free agent – his injury record is as poor as Patrick Bamford’s…(David Ornstein, The Athletic)
• Marcus Rashford has described Man United as being in “no man’s land,” as they don’t stick with one plan – we don’t mind it in all honesty, Marcus! (Rest is Football Podcast)
• In case it slipped your mind, the UEFA Super Cup takes place this evening. PSG and Tottenham meet in Italy at 8pm (UK). Quite the first opponent in Thomas Frank’s first competitive match!
Liverpool FC: On this day
On this day in 1978, Liverpool signed Alan Kennedy from Newcastle for £330,000.
A versatile left-back, he would become arguably the Reds’ greatest-ever and scored the winning goal in two European Cup finals – who else can claim to have done that?!
The first came in 1981, at the Parc des Princes, as Liverpool beat Real Madrid 1-0 thanks to his 82nd-minute strike.
Three years later, under incredible pressure and surrounded by Roma fans at their own Stadio Olimpico, he stepped up to convert the winning penalty.
Kennedy would make 359 total appearances for Liverpool, winning 11 major trophies in seven years, before moving on to Sunderland in 1985.