Liverpool in negotiations to sign Virgil van Dijk-loving Parma defender amid Inter and AC Milan interest

According to Sky in Italy, Parma could accept an offer of €30m (£25m/$35m) plus bonuses for the defender as Liverpool are racing to get ahead of Milan and Inter.

Parma signed Leoni from Sampdoria in 2024 after his standout displays in Serie B. At just 18, he made 17 league appearances, scoring once. Touted as a potential successor to Alessandro Bastoni, Leoni has attracted interest from Inter, who hope new manager Cristian Chivu, his coach at Parma last season, can help lure him to the club. AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri has long admired the youngster and, following Malick Thiaw’s sale to Newcastle, a move for Leoni was speculated. However, the Rossoneri ultimately opted for Genoa’s Koni De Winter, as the Belgian defender came at a lower cost than Leoni.

Leoni is a big admirer of Liverpool defender Virgil Van Djik. His priority is to secure regular playing time next season to strengthen his case for a spot in Italy’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Leoni will hope that his future is resolved quickly as the season is about to commence and he will want to maximise playing time to get into the world cup squad. Liverpool will hope that they are able to secure the talent youngster who could be a long-term replacement of his idol Van Djik.