Fresh Newcastle transfer blow emerges after making better offer than Liverpool

Newcastle and Liverpool often found their ambitions entwined during the summer transfer window – and Eddie Howe’s side did not come out on top when competing for targets

Newcastle had an offer rejected by Parma for Giovanni Leoni, who ended up joining Liverpool instead, according to the Italian club’s chief executive. Leoni was one of the 10 players to join Arne Slot’s side in the summer transfer window, joining in a £26million deal from Parma.

Liverpool splashed out nearly £450m on transfers over the summer – and a few of their deals involved Newcastle in one way or another. Firstly, the Reds poached Hugo Ekitike from under the noses of their Premier League rivals by signing the Frenchman for an initial fee of £69m.

Newcastle had been scouting Ekitike for a long time, but missed out on him, along with Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, who chose Chelsea, and Benjamin Sesko, who opted to join Manchester United. The Magpies were desperate for strikers all summer due to the looming threat that Alexander Isak would leave for Liverpool.

That eventuality became a reality on deadline day, with the Reds paying £125m for his services. And it has now emerged, via Parma chief executive Federico Cherubini, that Liverpool also managed to land Leoni ahead of Newcastle, despite Eddie Howe’s side offering better terms.

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“I’ve always said we wanted to keep him, and he’s always said he’d be happy to stay here. We even turned down an offer from Newcastle, which was more advantageous than the one Liverpool eventually made,” Cherubini said of the talented defender in an interview with Gazzetta di Parma.

“When the Reds came forward, our plans changed: both because the offer was very attractive and because the player made it clear he was very happy to take advantage of this opportunity.

“On the one hand, it’s disappointing to lose such a promising young player, but on the other, we’re proud to have believed in him in unsuspecting times, when he’d only played a few games in Serie B.”

Leoni is only 18 years old, but comes highly rated from Serie A and could be more involved that first though at Liverpool. That’s because the Reds failed to get a £35m deal over the line for Marc Guehi on deadline day, leaving Leoni as their fourth-choice centre-back behind Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez.

Leoni’s words back up those of Cherubini that he only had eyes for Liverpool.”Only because it’s one of the best clubs in the world. It’s not possible to say no to this club,” he said upon arrival in mid-August. “I’m very happy to be here. It’s a really great sensation and I’m honoured to be here.”

Speaking about Liverpool captain Van Dijk, he added: “For me, he is the best defender in the world and I want to meet him [as soon as] possible. His personality is fantastic when he plays, he is so comfortable with the ball and without the ball. He is a leader.”

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