Liverpool complete £26million signing of teenage defender and make decision on Marc Guehi pursuit

Liverpool have announced the signing of 18-year-old centre-back Giovanni Leoni from Parma.

The young Italian joins the Reds in a deal worth £26million and has penned a six-year contract, which will keep him at Anfield until the summer of 2031.

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He will wear the No.15 shirt at Anfield – previously worn by attackers Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Daniel Sturridge, Yossi Benayoun and Peter Crouch.

The Reds were reported to be eyeing a double defensive signing, with exploratory talks also held over a swoop for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.

However, the Premier League champions view Leoni as an elite-level defender who will immediately join their first-team roster as one of four centre-back options.

It is understood Liverpool feel the teen fulfils their need for depth in that position, although they remain active if a market opportunity presents itself late in the window.

Guehi has entered the final year of his contract with Palace and could leave Selhurt Park as a free agent next summer.

And while there are doubts over Ibrahima Konate, with reports linking him to a possible free transfer to Real Madrid next summer, talkSPORT understands Liverpool remain in talks with his representatives over a contract extension.

Regardless of Konate’s future with the Reds, the capture of Leoni is a coup for Arne Slot with the top clubs in Serie A all registering their interest in the teen.

Newcastle were also long-term admirers, with the Magpies tabling a formal bid to Parma for his signature.

But that approach was turned down by the player when Liverpool made their interest known.

“I’m very happy to be here,” the latest summer signing said in his first interview with his new club. “It’s a really great sensation and I’m honoured to be here.

“Yeah, a lot [of excitement]. I’m so honoured. I was very happy [about Liverpool being interested]. When I saw this I said, ‘Wow, this is crazy.’ I’m very happy.”

Following the high-profile arrivals of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, Slot and the club’s recruitment team were then focused on bringing in a new centre-back.

The Reds were left light in options at the back after the sale of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the summer, plus the departure of Nat Phillips to West Brom.

But they have now found a replacement in Leoni, who is expected to be named in the next senior Italy squad and is set to play regular Premier League football this season.

Leoni was under contract with Parma until 2029, but Slot was keen to act quickly to land him given the number of clubs also keen and made no secret of his desire to acquire a defender before the window closes.

Prior to Sunday’s Community Shield defeat to Palace, he said: “We have more than enough options [in that area], but if we see a chance in the market, we will not hesitate to act.”

In total, Liverpool have spent a massive £265.2m on Frimpong, Ekitike, Wirtz, Kerkez, and Georgia No.1 Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The club have also brought in another two goalkeepers in Hungarian youngster Armin Pecsi, and former Preston North End No.1 Freddie Woodman.

There’s a chance there could be more arrivals, too, with Alexander Isak trying to force an Anfield move.

Newcastle rejected a £110m offer from Liverpool last month for the Swede, who has now told the club he won’t play for them again.

Who is Giovanni Leoni?

The 18-year-old centre-back would already become one of Liverpool’s tallest players despite his tender age at around 6″4′.

He is the same height as Virgil van Dijk and Rhys Williams, and just two inches below their tallest player, goalkeeper Mamardashvili.

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He previously played under Italy legend Andrea Pirlo at Sampdoria, before signing for Parma, and Pirlo has no doubts over his ability.

Following Leoni’s Parma debut, Pirlo said: “I am very happy for him.

“We are dealing with a fantastic boy, and I was sure he would make it to Serie A. He deserves it.”

During Leoni’s spell under him last March, Pirlo explained: “If someone had doubts about starting him from the first minute, I had none.

“I see him every day in training. He played as a mature youngster; he will become a strong footballer.”

Leoni is a fan of Van Dijk and Smalling

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

The teenager also named former Manchester United and Roma defender Chris Smalling as another inspiration for his playstyle.

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

Why are Liverpool not breaching PSR?

Liverpool have never been close to failing the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations, and the frugal outlays in recent years have proved particularly beneficial this summer.

Last season was the club’s first full campaign with an expanded Anfield Road End – thus a higher capacity at 61,000-plus fans, and greater matchday revenue.

Liverpool have also begun their new lucrative kit deal with Adidas, which has been valued more than their old partnership with Nike.

Those factors, alongside that careful approach to transfers, are paying dividends now, as per finance expert Kieran Maguire.

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“Liverpool are in an incredibly strong position,” he told talkSPORT.

“First of all, in terms of the money coming in at Anfield, they now have an expanded stadium and the new tickets and the new seats that are available are going to the hospitality, to going to corporate fans and the yield there tends to be very high.

“They’ve got the new shirt deal, which comes in on August 1 with Adidas, that’s going to be a substantial increase.

“They are incredibly popular with sponsors, and the sponsors will have paid bonuses for them winning the Premier League, so all of those are positives in terms of the money coming in.

“If you look at the players that have gone… Trent [Alexander-Arnold] has gone, he was on a very high wage, [Jarell] Quansah has gone – that will be pure profit. So they’re actually in a strong position.

“And then I’ve got the figures in front of me in terms of spending and all of the old-school ‘big six,’ Liverpool were sixth in the position [of net spend] over the course of the last three to four years.

“So they’ve actually been keeping their powder dry relatively to the other clubs.

“They spent a billion pounds less than Chelsea during that period.

“So they’re actually in the position to spend now because they’ve been quite cautious in the last couple of windows.”