Following Giovanni Leoni’s injury to Southampton, Liverpool has reportedly been determined to sign a LA La Liga defender with over £40 million ahead of the interest of Real Madrid rivals in 2026.
Leoni suffers from blows caused by ACL damage
On the night Liverpool was forced to win again late, this time against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, Leoni’s injuries stole a good portion of the headline.
The young defender has extended to 81 minutes courtesy of what appears to be a knee injury, and Arne Slot admitted that a scan is needed to determine the extent of the injury, but the worst-case scenario was confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.
Slot told reporters: “Usually these things don’t happen in five to ten minutes. I’ll need to do an MRI scan tomorrow to see how he’s coming in and find out more about how serious it is.
“Usually, players’ emotions tell you a lot. On the weekends, a Dutch Eredivisy player who went out completely in tears – Reuben van Bommel – PSV’s Reuben van Bommel – and proved that it was right.”
Injury expert Physio Scout has revealed in detail the possible recovery times for different levels of knee injuries. This made it clear that defenders are unlikely to feature a lot this season.
“Potential recovery time:
For meniscus: ~3-4 months”
With the young Italian appearing to be on the way to the season, it is rumoured that Liverpool returned to the transfer market in search of a quick replacement after not landing Mark Guech on the deadline day.
Liverpool Racing Real Madrid signs Tarega
According to a Spanish report, Liverpool is determined to beat Real Madrid to Cesar Talegga in 2026. The 23-year-old rose rapidly in Valencia. They set the price at 50 million euros (£44 million) and are said to be a long-term alternative to Virgil van Dik on the field.
Meanwhile, in the near future, the Valencia star will provide enough cover for the injured Leoni. If Red maintains foothold in all four competitions, the slot will need additional options at centre-back, especially given the added history of Joe Gomez’s injury.
League statistics 24/25 | target | Leoni |
|---|---|---|
Min | 3,026 | 1,199 |
Progressive Passes per 90 | 3.35 | 1.58 |
The tackle won by 90. | 1.10 | 0.45 |
Ball recovery at about 90 | 3.10 | 2.56 |
Tarrega’s additional experience five years older than Leoni was reflected in his numbers compared to his teenagers last season. And that’s that extra experience that should make him a viable option for the people of Anfield.
The fact that they came within hours of signing Guehi in the summer shows that Liverpool is willing to sign another defender.
