Liverpool: Arne Slot reveals Giovanni Leoni injury timeline and squad change | OneFootball

Reds boss would not be drawn on Marc Guehi transfer failure ahead of Crystal Palace clash

Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni faces a year out of action with a serious knee injury, manager Arne Slot has confirmed.

The 18-year-old centre-back was hurt earlier this week on his first appearance at Anfield following a £26million move from Serie A side Parma last month.

Leoni impressed on debut at home to Championship side Southampton in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, but landed awkwardly following a late challenge in the 2-1 win.

Slot has now confirmed that Leoni will be on the sidelines for around a year having torn his ACL.

“He’s not in a good place, of course,” the Reds boss said on Friday, ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

“He tore his ACL which means that he will be out for around a year.

Debut nightmare: Giovanni Leoni suffered a torn ACL on his first appearance for Liverpool

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“Being so young, coming to a new country, playing so well in your first game, it’s very hard to take the positives. You always try to look at the positive side and that is that he is still so young.

“He still has so many years to go after he recovers from a terrible injury like that.”

Slot also confirmed reports that Liverpool would look to add Federico Chiesa to their Champions League squad in place of compatriot Leoni, with new UEFA rules allowing for one player who suffers a serious injury or illness before matchday six of the league phase to be replaced.

Forward Chiesa was the highest-profile omission from the 22-man group initially named by Slot at the start of September, with teenage sensation Rio Ngumoha selected instead.

The injury to Leoni also comes after Crystal Palace pulled out of a deal to sell captain Marc Guehi to Liverpool at the 11th hour on transfer deadline day.

Slot would not be drawn further on the failed move for Guehi ahead of Saturday’s visit to Selhurst Park, a rematch of last month’s Community Shield clash that was won by Palace on penalties at Wembley, insisting: “We have more than enough options to replace, if needed, a player at the centre-back position because of course we have Virgil, Joe and Ibou (Konate), and other options if needed.”