35 million euros! 18-year-old "New Cannavaro" joins Liverpool, Italy will reappear with a great central defender?

In the past few decades, a group of phenomenal defenders have emerged in Italy, and the latest addition to this ranks is Giovanni Leoni - known as the "New Fabio Cannavaro". The 18-year-old is still relatively new to many fans, but not for those who closely follow last season's Serie A. Leoni has spent a breakthrough season at Parma, not only completing his top league debut, but also made 17 appearances throughout the season, including 14 starts, which fully demonstrates why he is so popular.

Although due to the small number of games and the small sample size, Leoni must be cautious in expectations, many traits in his body indicate that he will become a top central defender. The Italian youth training player was trained by Champions League champion Zivo in Parma last season. The Romanian coach replaced Simeone Inzaghi as Inter Milan coach this summer. Zivo wanted to bring Leoni to Milan City, but Liverpool took the lead and signed the young player with a transfer fee of about 35 million euros. So, what will this young Italian player bring to Anfield? Who is Leoni?

Leoni was born in Rome on December 21, 2006. He transferred to Chitadera at a very young age and then made his mark in the Padua youth team. Leoni's height reached 1.93 meters. In March 2023, just a few months after Leoni's 16th birthday, he made his debut in the Italian League C. In February 2024, Leoni joined Sampdoria on loan; in June 2024, Sampdoria signed him permanently for 1.5 million euros; but just two months later, Parma won him for 4.8 million euros. Leoni performed well in his first season at Parma, with his net worth soaring to 18 million euros. He is currently the third most expensive player among the Serie A U21 defenders.

Leoni's initial stage of his career is changing, and transfer market website Serie A expert A Niello Luciano believes that he is the future of the Italian national team. "Govanni Leoni is considered one of the most promising players in Italian football, so he is also qualified to be the starter of the Italian national team in the future. He will make Italy's defensive system rock solid," Luciano said. "He has become the top target for top clubs in Italy and Europe, and his value has soared."

Leoni's Pros and Disadvantages

Leoni's Pros and Disadvantages

Leoni's Pros and Disadvantages

Leoni's Pros and Disadvantages

Leoni's Potential, he is far from reaching the peak. Luciano analyzed his strengths and weaknesses. "Leoni's athletic ability is highly appreciated, and his physical fitness is amazing," Luciano said. "He is tall but very fast. He can run well, although there is still room for improvement in this regard. Whether it is his understanding of the game, his excellent positioning and prediction ability, Leoni is particularly prominent at his age. He pays great attention to using his body in confrontation, can dominate and does not make too many fouls."

About what Leoni needs to improve. Luciano said: "During Zivo's coaching, Parma was not known for organizing offenses on the back, and Leoni was not really asked to dribble from the back. He has the qualities of excellence in this regard, but he must improve his ability to play because passing is an indispensable skill for any young defender who desires to be a top player in modern football."

Earlier this summer, Inter Milan actively fought for Leoni, and the club's vice president Sanetti also confirmed their interest. "He is a very attractive young player," Sanetti said. "Let's see if it's possible to sign him." However, Leoni is getting more and more attention from the Premier League, with Liverpool and Newcastle United visiting him several times last season. This may be a huge success for the Red Army, which is preparing for the future.