Liverpool are edging closer to signing Parma’s highly rated teenage centre-back **Giovanni Leoni**, with the Serie A club reportedly open to a deal worth around **€35 million**.
According to Italian journalist **Nicolo Ceccarini**, the Reds have yet to submit a formal bid but have already held direct talks to explore the defender’s availability — talks that have boosted confidence of striking an agreement. Inter Milan, once considered strong contenders for the 18-year-old, are now out of the running.
Parma were previously tipped to accept €30 million plus add-ons, but Ceccarini claims their preferred package is closer to €35 million — a figure Liverpool may be prepared to match. The urgency has grown following **Jarell Quansah’s £35 million move to Bayer Leverkusen** and **Joe Gomez’s injury**, which leaves Arne Slot with only Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate fully fit.
Leoni, who made 17 Serie A appearances last season and scored once, has earned high praise from legendary coach **Arrigo Sacchi** for his maturity, composure, and mentality. Liverpool are said to have a **verbal agreement on personal terms** with the player, leaving only the transfer fee to finalise.
If sealed, the deal would form part of a **long-term defensive rebuild** at Anfield, potentially alongside another top target — **Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi** — underlining Liverpool’s ambition to strengthen both for now and for the future.
