Liverpool are considering whether to sign another centre-back in the January transfer window after Giovanni Leoni was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury
Liverpool are mulling over the possibility of bringing in another centre-back during the January transfer window. This comes after it was confirmed earlier this week that Giovanni Leoni, the talented 18-year-old defender signed from Parma in August, has undergone surgery for an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury and is expected to be out for the rest of the season.
Leoni was brought in to bolster Liverpool’s defence alongside Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez. However, his Reds debut against Southampton last month was cut short just 81 minutes in when he sustained an injury following an awkward challenge.
Despite immediate attention from the medical team, Leoni had to be stretchered off the pitch. Post-match, Slot admitted that the situation looked grim for the young centre-back.
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It was later confirmed that Leoni had indeed suffered a torn ACL. In his pre-Crystal Palace press conference last Friday, Slot revealed that the player could be sidelined for approximately 12 months.
With Van Dijk, Konate and Gomez now being the only three fit senior central defenders at Liverpool, there’s speculation that the Reds might delve into the transfer market to sign a free agent or make a new signing in January.
According to talkSPORT, internal discussions are currently underway to determine whether another centre-back is required in the winter transfer window.
Marc Guehi, who nearly joined Liverpool in a £35million deal last summer, is reportedly open to finishing the season at Crystal Palace, playing in the World Cup for England, and then choosing his next club as a free agent.
One player Liverpool have long admired is Levi Colwill of Chelsea, who the Reds face on Saturday in the Premier League.
But it’s believed Liverpool don’t think he’s available and have therefore never made an offer. Colwill has been out of action since August due to a crushing blow when he suffered an ACL injury.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are still working on extending Konate’s contract, which has less than nine months left. The Reds’ last formal offer was made before the summer transfer window closed. Real Madrid are still interested and can start negotiating a pre-contract agreement from January.
Liverpool would like Konate to extend his contract before the end of the year, but as shown with Mohamed Salah and Van Dijk, they’re willing to prolong talks to secure the best deal for all parties.
In addition to Colwill and Guehi, Liverpool are also keeping tabs on Sven Botman, Willian Pacho, Zeno Debast and Ousmane Diomande, who have all scored highly in the club’s data-driven approach.
Newcastle have no intention or plans to sell Botman, while Pacho is under contract at PSG until 2029. Sporting duo Debast and Diomande have previously been linked with a move to the Premier League.
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