Juventus are already planning around 2027 with Giovanni Leoni near the top of their list, while Liverpool are still resisting approaches for the defender. The Italian club want to rebuild an Italian core, and Leoni is one of the names they have identified for that push. Liverpool are waiting for him to return from a long knee injury first.
Juventus' Italian core plan
Juventus fielded a starting XI with no outfield Italian players for the first time ever in their Serie A history against Sassuolo on September 13. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is the only Italian to have started Juventus’ last two games. That is the backdrop to their interest in Leoni and Lorenzo Palmisani, two of the players they want to help rebuild that Italian core.
The club have already made multiple approaches to take Leoni on loan, and they will keep watching him every week once he is back. Juventus are interested in a longer-term move, not a quick fix, and the point is clear enough from the names they are tracking. Parma sold Leoni to Liverpool last summer in a deal reported at £25.1m by some outlets and £26m by others.
Liverpool's stance on Leoni
Liverpool are not open to a loan or sale right now. Leoni tore his ACL on debut against Southampton on September 23, 2025, and has made only one appearance for the club. Andoni Iraola told liverpoolecho.co.uk: "I think the next one probably should be Giovanni Leoni.
I think the plan is also to start training during the break, with the group. I think even Fede [Chiesa] should be around those dates and probably Conor [Bradley], and especially Hugo [Ekitike], will go later, yes."
That points to training with the group during the break rather than an immediate move away. Leoni's latest appearance lasted 81 minutes and brought a 7.2 rating, which is the sort of small but encouraging return Liverpool will want to build on before any transfer talk gets louder.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
