Giovanni Leoni: Why Liverpool could not miss chance to sign rising star

The search began with Levi Colwill and moved on to Leny Yoro before Dean Huijsen came under scrutiny. There have been frustrations for Liverpool in recent seasons as they have sought defensive reinforcements but, finally, they have their man.

Giovanni Leoni’s arrival from Parma heralds the end of an exhaustive hunt for a young, potentially elite, centre back, with the 18-year-old set to be at Anfield on Friday for the start of the new Premier League season. He has agreed a six-year deal after a £26million transfer and expectations are high for the 6ft 5in teenager.

The reasons why those previous targets remained out of reach for Liverpool are varied.

Leoni caught the eye when he physically dominated Napoli’s Romelu Lukaku in May LUCA AMEDEO BIZZARRI/GETTY IMAGES

Chelsea would not countenance selling Colwill. Yoro wanted to play first-team football straight away, something Manchester United were prepared to offer when signing him from Lille 12 months ago and Liverpool would not. The Spain international Huijsen gravitated, understandably, towards Real Madrid earlier in the summer.

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