Finally the time is coming when we could see 18 year-old Leoni back on the pitch as it’s been reported he will return to full training around October 12th whilst it’s also been suggested Liverpool said no to a loan enquiry by Italian club Juventus.
Since Liverpool signed center-back Giovanni Leoni in the summer of 2025 for around £26M the club and supporters have only had one opportunity to watch him play. That ill-fated game was against Southampton in the Carabao Cup where Leoni impressed with his
maturity, confidence and quality but unfortunately in the final 10 minutes he suffered a serious knee injury which has kept him out until light training this past summer.
From footage inside the training camp it was clear to see Leoni had been working in the gym and his already strong frame has bulked up. It would seem common sense for a player to take advantage of a long recovery time to do whatever is physically possible to strengthen and stay fit in preparation for a return to full training but it’s still good to see players do so.
With Jeremy Jacquet, Ronald Araujo and Reds captain Virgil van Dijk doing very well in defense so far this season and Joe Gomez available after a minor injury it’s not an emergency to have Leoni back yet it would be a very welcomed return for head coach Andoni Iraola and the squad. This seems to be clarified with the news that a loan to Juve was turned down and just maybe this will allow Liverpool to let youngster Ifeanyi Ndukwe stay out on loan with Spanish club Levante for the experience and playing time.
This brings us to the question around Virgil, who just reached 100 caps for the Netherlands national team, and the fact his contract is up at the end of this season and whether FSG will consider there’s value in offering club captain Virgil another extension. That value isn’t based on a transfer fee as Virgil would be a free agent this summer but more about the wages and if his staying would block the progress of Leoni and maybe a permanent contract for loanee Araujo (who took a wage cut for this loan move).
To this writer the question is a good one for the club to be facing because it means all the players are performing well with the highly possible emergence of a younger world class center-back partnership in Jacquet and Leoni plus the impressive Ndukwe. Add to that Araujo’s performances as a right-back as well center-back so far and a very decent fee to retain his presence at Liverpool (if Araujo himself wants to stay) which is a strong looking defense unit.
Virgil is still one of the world’s best center-backs and a Liverpool legend who no doubt has a season or two left at the level he is playing at now and in fact it’s looking like Jacquet and Araujo’s quality when partnering him has allowed Virgil to shine a little more like his prime years. That doesn’t make the impending decision any easier about whether or not FSG (with Iraola’s input) will offer Virgil a contract extension and of course a lot of things can happen between now and the summer but with big clubs watching on a decision will need to be made before the season is over.
