The two stats that sum up Liverpool’s new teenage signing Giovanni Leoni

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of centre-back Giovanni Leoni from Italian side Parma.

Leoni joins the Reds in a deal worth £26 million, becoming the Premier League holders’ third defensive signing this summer and the most expensive teenage signing by the club.

Leoni began his career at Padova, where he made his professional debut at the age of 16 years and three months.

He joined Sampdoria on loan in the second half of the 2023/24 season before making a permanent switch to the club in the summer. Just two months later, he joined Parma.

The Italy youth international enjoyed a breakthrough season in the Italian top-flight last season, making 17 appearances.

He has exceptional aerial prowess, winning 64.52 percent of his aerial duels last season, ranking first among U20 centre-backs in the top five leagues in Europe.

Leoni is also composed in possession and has a good passing accuracy, completing 88.7 percent of his passes last term, the fourth best among teenage centre-backs to have played more than 900 minutes in the top five leagues in Europe.

The Italian defender is not expected to become a regular this season, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate being the first-choice centre-back pairing.

However, joining the Merseyside outfit allows him to learn from Van Dijk, whom he considers an ‘inspiration’ and could become an integral player for the club in the future.

Liverpool are still in the market for one more centre-back and are in talks with Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, but have yet to make a bid.

The England international wants game time assurances to bolster his chances of playing for the Three Lions at the 2026 FIFA World.