FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Serie A - Parma v Napoli - Stadio Ennio Tardini, Parma, Italy - May 18, 2025 Napoli's Romelu Lukaku in action with Parma's Giovanni Leoni REUTERS/Alberto Lingria/File Photo
LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) -Liverpool manager Arne Slot continued to reinforce his squad on the eve of their Premier League season opener, confirming on Thursday that the club had agreed a deal to sign 18-year-old defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma.
While no financial details were disclosed, British media reported the fee for the Serie A player at 26 million euros ($30.34 million).
Slot's men kick off the defence of their title when they host Bournemouth on Friday on what is sure to be an emotional night at Anfield following the death of Portugal forward Diogo Jota and his brother in a car crash in July.
Leoni is expected to have a medical later on Thursday and will immediately join the first team, with the club ruling out any possibility of a loan move.
The teenager will join Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez -- who is a doubt for Friday having recently returned from an Achilles injury -- among Slot's centre-back options and shore up a back line that showed frailties during pre-season.
"There are reasons for it," Slot said, citing injuries, mixed lineups, and the integration of new players. "The standard here is 10/10, we are doing everything well but 'well' is not good enough. We have to go a step up.
"Come (Friday) evening against Bournemouth, there are no excuses."
Slot is cautiously optimistic Liverpool can retain their title.
"The main reason that it's so difficult is because there are so many competitors who can win the league. It's unbelievable if you are able to do it in this league," the Dutchman said.
"This year will be even harder than before. Every season and pre-season has its challenges. We have lost many starters.
"It's not always yourself but the teams you face. We've lost five to six players who played quite a lot of minutes last season, and brought in four, so it's normal there's adaptation."
TOUGH START
Liverpool have a tough start to the campaign, with games away to Newcastle United and at home to last season's runners-up Arsenal among their first three fixtures.
"We start with Bournemouth, probably the most intense team in the league last season, in running and playing style," Slot said.
There is plenty of anticipation around Liverpool's new attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz after the Reds shattered their transfer record to sign the 22-year-old German international from Bayer Leverkusen in June.
They paid 100 million pounds ($135.66 million), with a further maximum of 16 million in potential bonuses.
Slot was full of praise for Wirtz, but cautioned he might need time to adjust to the intensity of England's top tier.
"Good players always find a way of playing in a good team - he is a good player and he plays in a good team," Slot said.
"Factually we can see him as a young player, but I don't see him as one. He won the cup and league in Germany (in 2024), and his mentality is his biggest strength.
"That says a lot, because when you see him play he is so creative. He is mentally strong, he doesn't get distracted by a transfer fee or anything else."
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(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)
