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Giovanni Leoni Undergoes ACL Surgery After Liverpool Debut Injury

The setback forces a reassessment of centre-back depth heading into January.

Overview

  • The 18-year-old, a £26m summer signing from Parma, confirmed "Surgery done" after tearing his ACL on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
  • Head coach Arne Slot has estimated an absence of around 12 months for the defender.
  • Injury analyst Ben Dinnery cautioned the return could realistically stretch into late 2026 or early 2027.
  • Local reporting indicates he will miss the rest of this season and likely the start of next, with a World Cup absence also expected.
  • Liverpool are weighing centre-back cover for January with Marc Guehi mentioned in speculation, while Slot stresses a lean squad and points to support from Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez during rehab.