Revealed: Liverpool's three centre-back targets they missed out on before pulling trigger to sign Giovanni Leoni

Liverpool missed out on three 'elite' centre-backs before pulling the trigger on a €35 million (£30m/$40m) deal to sign Giovanni Leoni from Parma.

  • Leoni signed by Reds 
  • have been hunting for elite, young centre-back
  • Defender hunt finally over

Revealed: Liverpool's three centre-back targets they missed out on before pulling trigger to sign Giovanni LeoniRevealed: Liverpool's three centre-back targets they missed out on before pulling trigger to sign Giovanni LeoniRevealed: Liverpool's three centre-back targets they missed out on before pulling trigger to sign Giovanni Leoni

Per The Times, Liverpool have long been on the hunt for an elite young centre-back to strengthen their squad. They had been interested in Leny Yoro before he joined Manchester , as well as Levi Colwill at and Dean Huijsen at , before he moved to . Colwill was not for sale, Yoro wanted assurances of first-team football that United offered and the Reds could not, and Huijsen wanted a move to Madrid instead of to Anfield.

Now, Leoni has signed a six-year deal at Anfield, with the Reds beating off competition from Milan to secure the youngster’s signature. Signed from Parma, he has just 17 first-team appearances under his belt, and was also of interest to Newcastle, but the Reds have laid out a pathway to the first-team for Leoni, swaying his decision.

Leoni is an youth international, playing for both the Under-18s and the Under-19s, and is now out to make a serious impression on Merseyside.

Liverpool play Bournemouth in their first game of the season on Friday evening. Leoni is likely to be on the bench.