Giovanni Leoni is on course to make a return for Liverpool’s pre-season training, with the centre-back now working on the grass again after his ACL surgery.
Leoni’s debut campaign at Liverpool was over before it truly began, with the Italian suffering an ACL injury on his first outing for Arne Slot‘s side.
But after undergoing surgery in September, he is now taking big steps towards an expected return in time for pre-season this summer.
In a post on Instagram, the 19-year-old shared a series of photos from the AXA Training Centre – including one of him working with a ball on the outdoor pitch.
While he is only cleared for light exercises and certainly not contact training yet, it is a major update from the young defender.
He has remained around the first-team squad while he continues his rehabilitation and is using the international break to make further strides towards his return.
“Everything happens for a reason,” was the caption which accompanied Leoni’s post, with a number of his team-mates replying with messages of support.
Hugo Ekitike wrote “soon back my little brother,” while Stefan Bajcetic – who is still recovering from hamstring surgery himself – added “let’s go brother.”
Ibrahima Konate, Conor Bradley, Curtis Jones, Milos Kerkez and Rio Ngumoha also posted messages while Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Jayden Danns were among those to react.
While Liverpool will take caution with Leoni upon his return, his ongoing presence at the AXA will no doubt inform their plans for the transfer window.
Having already signed Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes ahead of the summer, both him and Leoni will be considered part of a new core of centre-backs heading into 2026/27.
The hope is that Konate will sign a new contract, and while there are doubts over the future of Joe Gomez, Liverpool can still rely on Virgil van Dijk as the leader of their defence.
Liverpool also moved to sign three more young centre-backs in January, with Mor Talla Ndiaye and Noah Adekoya joining immediately and Ifeanyi Ndukwe set to arrive from Austria Vienna in July.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport in January, Leoni said “the hardest part is over” in terms of his recovery.
“For a footballer, an injury like this can be the hardest moment of their career, but now I just want to train my mind to come back stronger than before,” he explained.
Join This Is Anfield Premium
If adverts aren’t your thing, we appreciate you becoming a Premium member