Next great Italian centre-back? Why Liverpool & Barcelona want Parma starlet Giovanni Leoni

Italy has produced some of the most iconic defenders across the last few decades and the latest on the production line could be Giovanni Leoni - labelled the ‘new Fabio Cannavaro’. The 18-year-old remains a relatively unknown quantity to many football fans but not for anyone that observed Serie A closely last season. Leoni enjoyed his breakthrough campaign with Parma, making 17 appearances after making his top-flight debut to highlight why there’s so much excitement around him.

While it’s imperative to stress caution over expectations due to his small sample size, Leoni possesses numerous characteristics that indicate that he will develop into an elite centre-back. The Italian youth international was nurtured by Champions League winner Christian Chivu at Parma last season but the Romanian manager has replaced Simeone Inzaghi at Inter Milan this summer. Chivu is determined to reunite with Leoni in Milan next season but Inter face strong competition from several Premier League clubs with Barcelona also monitoring the defender.

Who is Giovanni Leoni?

Born in Rome, Leoni progressed the youth ranks at Padova after moving to Cittadella at a young age. The 6ft 5in defender made his professional debut in Serie C just months after his 16th birthday in March 2023 and it earned him a loan move to Sampdoria in February 2024. I Blucerchiati signed him permanently for €1.5 million in June 2024 but Parma swooped just two months later in a €4.8m deal. Leoni shone in his debut season for Parma with his market value soaring by €13.2m to €18m and he’s currently the third most valuable U21 defender in Serie A.

It’s been a whirlwind couple of years for Leoni during the fledging years of his career and Aniello Luciano, Transfermarkt’s Serie A expert, believes he’s the future of the Italian national team. “Giovanni Leoni is considered one of the best prospects in Italian football and therefore a future and eligible starter for the national team - keeping the Italian defensive school thriving,” Luciano said. “He’s already a major target for top Italian and European clubs, which has seen his valuation and market value soar."

What are Giovanni Leoni’s strengths and weaknesses?

Despite his incredible potential, Leoni is far from the finished article and Luciano has analysed his strengths and weaknesses. “Leoni is hugely appreciated for his athleticism and he possesses incredibly physical attributes,” Luciano added. “He’s very tall but he remains quite quick and can cover big distances well but he can still improve in this regard. His understanding of the game really stands out at his age with his positioning and anticipation. He’s very physical in duels and can dominate in this regard, without conceding too many fouls."

On the areas for Leoni to improve, Luciano added: “Under Chivu, Parma weren’t renowned for playing out from the back and Leoni wasn’t truly asked to bring the ball out from defence. He possesses the characteristics to excel in this area but he must improve his passing from defence as these are indispensable skills for any young defenders, who want to become absolutely top class in modern football.”

Who wants to sign Giovanni Leoni?

Parma are under no great financial pressure to sell Leoni but their demands are unlikely to deter potential suitors. I Crociati will net a significant profit on the €4.8m they paid for Leoni last summer, if he departs during the current transfer window. Transfermarkt understands that Parma want €40m but that fee could be reached using add-ons and potential future clauses.

Earlier this summer, Inter Milan were in the driving seat to secure Leoni’s signature with club vice-president Javier Zanetti confirming their interest. “He’s a very interesting young player,” the Nerazzurri executive said. “Let’s see if it’s possible for us to sign him”. But Leoni has growing interest from the Premier League with Liverpool and Newcastle United scouting him several times last season. Liverpool are likely to be in the market for a new centre-back this summer and Leoni is viewed as a youngster with huge potential, while Newcastle want a centre-back with a similar profile. Juventus and AC Milan are also known admirers of Leoni, while Barca have also watched the Parma starlet.