Liverpool are finalising agreement on a £26million deal for Parma defender Giovanni Leoni.

The Reds will pay further add-ons for the 18-year old on performances plus a sell-on percentage.

Daily Mail Sport reported on Tuesday that the Premier League champions had stepped up their interest in the defender.

The deal is unconnected to Liverpool’s pursuit of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi for a similar fee.

The Italy Under-19 star has only played 17 times in Serie A but the Reds transfer department are understood to like Leoni a lot and are ready to pursue a move to sign him.

Liverpool’s interest in Leoni, a 6ft 5in central defender, comes after the Reds previously pursued Lenny Yoro, Jorrel Hato and Dean Huijsen as they seek a long-term successor to captain Virgil van Dijk.

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Liverpool are closing in on an agreement for Parma and Italy youth defender Giovanni Leoni

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The centre back will leave for £26m just a year after the club signed him for £4.3m

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Liverpool are in direct contact with Crystal Palace over a move for their captain Marc Guehi

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Leoni had only joined Parma last summer in a deal worth an initial £4.3m from Sampdoria, who had only months earlier activated a £1.3m option to make a loan move from Padova permanent.

The teenager had played under former Italy international Andrea Pirlo at Sampdoria, during his stint in charge of the Serie B side.

Pirlo had dismissed concerns about the defender featuring in the first team at a young age and backed him to become a star of the future.

‘If someone had doubts about starting him from the first minute, I had none,’ Pirlo said in March 2024. ‘I see him every day in training. He played as a mature youngster, he will become a strong footballer.’

The Reds’ spending will now pass £300m – £321m in total – with Florian Wirtz arriving for £116million from Bayer Leverkusen, Hugo Ekitike costing £79m, and the likes of Jeremine Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Giorgi Mamardashvili have also featured, having joined for £29.5m, £40m and £29m respectively.

Liverpool have been in the market for a centre back, with Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate the only fit senior centre backs on their books. Joe Gomez is injured.

Liverpool are in, meanwhile, direct contact with Crystal Palace over a move for their skipper Guehi in a separate deal.