Overview
- Leoni ruptured his ACL on his senior debut for Liverpool in a Carabao Cup win over Southampton in September 2025 and has been sidelined for about a year.
- Club sources say Leoni is now in the final stages of rehabilitation and is expected to rejoin group training during the upcoming international break, though no competitive return date is set.
- Liverpool have chosen a cautious, staged plan to avoid rushing Leoni back and to reduce the risk of setbacks common after ACL injuries.
- The return of Joe Gomez plus strong early form from Jeremy Jacquet and involvement from Ronald Araujo give Iraola four senior centre‑back options and let him rotate Virgil van Dijk out of some cup games to create low‑risk minutes for Leoni.
- Signed from Parma for a reported £26m, the 19‑year‑old still faces competition for a starting spot but a phased comeback aims to preserve his long‑term career prospects and offer measured opportunities off the bench or in cup matches.