Liverpool Defender Giovanni Leoni Faces Lengthy Injury Layoff
Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni is set to spend several months on the sidelines following a suspected anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained during his debut match.
The 18-year-old player participated in 81 minutes of Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Southampton in the third round of the Carabao Cup before he was forced to leave the field due to injury.
Leoni, who joined Liverpool in August from Parma for a transfer fee of £26 million plus add-ons, has undergone tests on his left knee.
Reports suggest that the centre-back has indeed suffered damage to his ACL, which could potentially sideline him for the majority, if not the entirety, of the current season.
This injury leaves Liverpool head coach Arne Slot with only three recognized centre-backs available: Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Joe Gomez.
Fortunately, Liverpool can replace Leoni in their Champions League squad, with forward Federico Chiesa among the possible candidates for inclusion.