Second source confirms Hughes tracking Serie A 'sensation'

Liverpool are ‘closely monitoring’ Giovanni Leoni and the coveted Italian is ‘one to watch’ this summer, a journalist has confirmed.

Liverpool have had an unprecedented transfer window, spending more than £260million to sign Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike. Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili has also arrived at Anfield after a deal was initially agreed for him last summer.

Liverpool smashed both their transfer record and the British transfer record to land Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a sensational £116m deal.

Wirtz was a top target for Bayern Munich but Liverpool left the German giants stunned by winning the race.

Incredibly, Liverpool could break such records for a second time this summer by capturing wantaway striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle United.

You can read the latest on Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak here.

In addition to the chase for a new No 9, Liverpool are searching for a centre-back who can provide cover for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate.

They are light in the position, with Joe Gomez their only other senior option after Jarell Quansah joined Leverkusen earlier this summer.

It emerged on Sunday that Parma defender Leoni is among three rising stars Liverpool have been scouting.

Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has now provided an update on the situation. Writing on X, formerly Twitter, he reports that Liverpool are watching Leoni’s development and he is ‘on their list’ for this summer.

‘Nothing is advanced’ as things stand, though the 18-year-old is certainly ‘one to watch’.

Plettenberg adds that Liverpool’s No 1 defensive target is Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace.

Guehi has entered the final year of his Palace contract and this has given Liverpool the opportunity to sign him for a reasonable price.

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Liverpool eyeing Marc Guehi and Giovanni Leoni

TEAMtalk revealed on July 3 that Liverpool have agreed personal terms with the England centre-half. Reds sporting director Richard Hughes ideally does not want to pay more than £40m for his services.

It is possible that Liverpool could sign Guehi this summer before returning for Leoni at a later date as part of their defensive revamp.

Leoni, an Italy U19 international, is right-footed and has been described as an ‘elegant’ yet ‘dominant’ centre-back by Football Talent Scout, Jacek Kulig.

Goal have called the teenager a ‘sensation’ in Serie A as he was a top performer for Parma last season, despite his tender age.

Leoni grew up idolising Liverpool captain Van Dijk and has been tipped to become the new Alessandro Bastoni in the Italy national team.

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