Giovanni Leoni
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 21 December 2006[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Rome, Italy | ||
| Height | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Liverpool | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Vigontina | |||
| 2015–2019 | Cittadella | ||
| 2019–2023 | Padova | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2024 | Padova | 1 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Sampdoria (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| 2024 | Sampdoria | 0 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | Parma | 17 | (1) |
| 2025– | Liverpool | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024– | Italy U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 2024– | Italy U19 | 7 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 25 March 2025 | |||
Giovanni Leoni (born 21 December 2006) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Liverpool.
Club career
Early career
Leoni was born in Rome, Italy[3] and moved to Padua at the age of 5. He began playing football with Vigontina before moving to Cittadella, and finished his youth development at Padova.[4] He made his senior and professional debut with Padova as a late substitute in a 3–2 Serie C win over AlbinoLeffe on 19 March 2023 at the age of 16 years and 3 months, making him the youngest professional footballer in Italy that season.[5] On 1 February 2024, he joined Sampdoria on loan until June 2026 with an option to buy for €1.5 million.[6] On 25 June 2024, he signed a three-year contract with Sampdoria.[7]
On 27 August 2024, Leoni moved to Parma in Serie A.[8]
Liverpool
On 15 August 2025, Leoni was transferred permanently to Premier League club Liverpool for a reported fee of £26m.[9][10]
International career
Leoni is a youth international for Italy, having been called up to the Italy U17s in March 2024.[11]
Playing style
A tall, strong and ambipedal centre-back, Leoni can play as in the centre or right side of a three-man defense. He is very agile and skilled with his head. He is also a modern defender who is skilled in the build up game, and in covering spaces tactically.[6]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 24 May 2025
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Padova | 2022–23 | Serie C | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2023–24 | Serie C | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||||
| Sampdoria (loan) | 2023–24 | Serie B | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |||
| Parma | 2024–25 | Serie A | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | ||||
| Liverpool | 2025–26 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 30 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 2 | ||
- ^ Includes Coppa Italia Serie C
- ^ Includes EFL Cup
References
- ^ "Federico Chiesa". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ "Giovanni Leoni". Parma Calcio 1913. Archived from the original on 27 April 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ "Giovanni Leoni - Carriera - stagioni, presenze, goal - TuttoCalciatori.Net". www.tuttocalciatori.net.
- ^ "Sampdoria, una forza da... Leoni! Le big sul difensore blucerchiato". 3 April 2024.
- ^ "Giovanni Leoni, il 2006 più giovane ad esordire tra i pro: "Ero teso, ma felice. I mister che ho avuto mi hanno insegnato molto"". Padova Calcio. 22 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Chi è Giovanni Leoni, il portafortuna di Pirlo che ha stregato Inter e Juventus". Calciomercato.com | Tutte le news sul calcio in tempo reale. 3 April 2024.
- ^ "Leoni rinnova in blucerchiato fino al 30 giugno 2027" [Leoni renews with Blucerchiato until June 30, 2027] (in Italian). Sampdoria. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
- ^ "GIOVANNI LEONI È GIALLOBLU" [GIOVANNI LEONI IS YELLOW AND BLUE] (in Italian). Parma. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ "Liverpool FC complete signing of Giovanni Leoni from Parma". Liverpool F.C. 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
- ^ Joyce, Paul (14 August 2025). "Giovanni Leoni: Liverpool agree £26m deal for defender". The Times. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ^ "Buona la prima per gli Azzurrini a Merano: sconfitta 2-1 l'Austria. Franceschini: "Stiamo crescendo partita dopo partita"". Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio. 21 March 2024.
External links
- Profile at the Liverpool F.C. website
- Giovanni Leoni FIGC Italy profile (in Italian)
- Giovanni Leoni – UEFA competition record (archive)