Liverpool’s summer signing Giovanni Leoni is facing a significant spell out injured amid reports he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament on his debut against Southampton.
The 18-year-old received extensive treatment at Anfield after a late tackle in the 2-1 Carabao Cup win left the Italian writhing in agony—though many assumed the issue was related to the whack on the back of the head Leoni received when hitting the turf.
Leoni, a £30 million ($40.7 million) arrival from Parma inclusive of add-ons, was eventually stretchered off, with manager Arne Slot admitting post-match that he was “hoping for the best,” but the Daily Mail and Sky Italy state that Liverpool’s fears that he suffered a serious injury have come to fruition.
No timescale has been put on when Leoni could return to action, nor have Liverpool made any public comment on the situation. But if Leoni has torn his ACL, he could be facing an uphill battle to return to action before the conclusion of the 2025–26 campaign—most injuries of this severity take at least six to nine months to recover from, while in some cases players take over a year to start playing again.
Leoni had enjoyed a solid debut for Liverpool, completing 88 of his 91 passes (97%) next to Joe Gomez in the heart of the defence. His performance was described by Slot as “great”, but understandably the Dutchman’s interview quickly focused on how long Leoni could be sidelined for.
Slot: Leoni Didn’t Feel Good Immediately
“Of course, he is down because for him it didn't feel good immediately, but this is something now we have to assess," Slot told his post-match press conference at Anfield. “Normally these things don't happen in five to 10 minutes and you have to wait for tomorrow to see how he comes in and then maybe do an MRI scan to know more about how serious it is.
“Normally the emotions of a player tell you a lot. I saw during the weekend a player in the Dutch Eredivisie who went out completely in tears—Ruben van Bommel, by the way, of PSV—and a day later it proved to be that it was right.
“Let’s hope for the best.”
Slot had rotated out of his side first choice defenders Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté, but now faces a shortage of options as Liverpool head into a congested period of games. After reaching the Carabao Cup fourth round, the Reds will now combine domestic cup duties with both Premier League and Champions League action.
Liverpool attempted to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Gúehi in the summer, but a £35 million move was halted at the last minute after the Eagles failed to source a replacement on Deadline Day.
What Liverpool Could Do in Leoni’s Absence
Analysis by Toby Cudworth
Van Dijk, Konaté and Gomez are Liverpool’s only other recognised centre backs, and Slot will be face a tough time managing their workloads over the coming months.
Milos Kerkez filled in for Leoni for the remainder of the game against Southampton, but it’s unlikely the former Bournemouth full back will be viewed as a viable option moving forward. Defensive midfielder Waturu Endo has filled in during previous injury crises at Liverpool, and he could be called again against lesser Premier League opposition or if a game is being comfortably won.
Andy Robertson is another player who could fill in if required, but like Kerkez he’s a naturally left-sided player—that’s not something that will particularly help Slot as Van Dijk usually plays on that side of central defence and would need to shift one along.
Leoni being sidelined also increases the likelihood of Liverpool returning for Gúehi in January, even though he’ll be available as a free agent next summer. Waiting also open up the risk of offers coming in from abroad—Real Madrid or Barcelona, as examples, could negotiate a contact with his representatives in January without needing to seek permission from Palace.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Reports: Liverpool Summer Arrival Suffers Serious Knee Injury.