Liverpool are on the brink of signing defender Giovanni Leoni from Parma despite a late move from Manchester United.
The 18-year-old centre-half is set to compete a £26million move to Anfield and will now travel to Merseyside to agree personal terms and undergo a medical.
Having made major additions elsewhere in the team, Liverpool are desperate to strengthen their backline before the summer transfer window closes with Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi also targeted.
Liverpool were among a host of clubs interested in signing Leoni, who has emerged as one of the brightest young defenders in Italy.
Both Inter Milan and AC Milan were keen to keep him in Serie A with The Times reporting United also showed late interest in signing him.
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Newcastle United were also keen but Leoni swiftly made the decision to join Liverpool where he will line up alongside a player he has described as his inspiration in Virgil van Dijk.
Leoni will join van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez as Arne Slot’s options at the back, effectively replacing Jarell Quansah in the squad after his £35m move to Bayer Leverkusen.
The Premier League champions have also opened talks with Crystal Palace over a move for Guehi.
Palace value the England international at £35million given he has just one year left on his contract at Selhurst Park.
While Guehi wants to join Liverpool, he is also prepared to see out the remaining 12 months of his contract in south east London before making the switch next summer.
Liverpool remain in talks with Palace, hoping to close the gap in valuation.
The addition of Leoni will take Liverpool’s spending to above £300m this summer, comfortably the biggest outlay in the Premier League.
Florian Wirtz (£116m), Hugo Ekitike (£79m), Milos Kerkez (£40m) and Jeremie Frimpong (£29m) have all arrived on Merseyside this summer.
Liverpool are also still hopeful of signing Alexander Isak from Newcastle United with the Swede adamant he will not play for the Magpies again.
