Liverpool’s Giovanni Leoni suffers ACL injury | OneFootball

Liverpool have been dealt a significant blow after teenage defender Giovanni Leoni was ruled out for several months with a torn cruciate ligament in his left knee.

The 18-year-old centre-back, a £26m summer signing from Parma, sustained the injury during his debut in Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup victory over Southampton. Leoni, who had impressed before his withdrawal, was stretchered off in the 78th minute with his knee heavily strapped, leaving head coach Arne Slot visibly concerned.

Slot admitted after the match that the youngster was “down” and that the early signs were worrying. “Normally these things don’t happen in five to 10 minutes,” he said. “You have to wait until tomorrow to see how he comes in, and then maybe do an MRI scan to know more. Let’s hope for the best.”

The hope has since faded, with Sky Sports reporting that scans have confirmed a torn cruciate ligament, ruling Leoni out until well into 2026.

The injury exposes Liverpool’s fragile defensive depth. With Marc Guehi’s deadline-day move collapsing, Slot now has only Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, and Joe Gomez as recognised senior centre-backs. Academy graduate Rhys Williams, who spent last season on loan at Morecambe, may now be called upon to provide cover.

GFN | Finn Entwistle