Liverpool supporters may finally have a reason to get excited about the return of one of the club’s most promising young defenders.
Giovanni Leoni has been out of action for more than a year after suffering a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury on his Liverpool debut against Southampton. Now, however, the Italian centre-back is reportedly edging closer to a long-awaited return.
According to The Athletic’s Gregg Evans, Leoni is expected to return to full training within the next two weeks, marking another major step forward in his rehabilitation.
The news will come as a huge boost to everyone at Liverpool, particularly after the teenager endured such a difficult period away from first-team football.
🔴 Leoni stayed on Merseyside throughout his recovery
One of the most impressive aspects of Leoni’s recovery has been his decision to remain around Liverpool rather than return home to Italy for a lengthy period.
The young defender has continued his rehabilitation at the AXA Training Centre while also using the time away from football to build stronger relationships with Liverpool’s staff and improve his English.
It has undoubtedly been a challenging period for the teenager, but his attitude throughout the recovery has reportedly impressed those around the club.
After more than a year away from competitive football, Leoni is now finally approaching the stage where he can begin thinking about playing again.
🏃♂️ When could Leoni return to competitive action?
Although Leoni is expected to return to full training soon, Liverpool are unlikely to rush him straight into Premier League action.
The club are expected to take a cautious approach given the severity of his injury and the amount of football he has missed.
Liverpool’s Under-21 side have an EFL Trophy fixture against Doncaster Rovers next Tuesday, but that game is considered too early for Leoni.
Instead, a more realistic target could be the Under-21s’ group-stage meeting with Huddersfield Town on November 10.
That would give Liverpool’s coaching and medical teams additional time to build up his fitness before allowing him to return to competitive football.
👀 Liverpool’s defence has changed during his absence
Leoni will also be returning to a very different Liverpool defence from the one he left behind.
One of the biggest developments has been the emergence of Jérémy Jacquet, who has quickly attracted attention since making his debut against Newcastle.
The French defender has developed a promising understanding alongside captain Virgil van Dijk, while his performances have continued to raise expectations around his future at Anfield.
Jacquet was also named man of the match in Liverpool’s recent victory over Bournemouth before earning his first senior France cap against Belgium.
Despite those developments, Liverpool still need greater depth across the back line.
Joe Gomez has made just one appearance this season after suffering a pre-season injury, while Ronald Araújo has increasingly been used at right-back.
That could eventually create an opening for Leoni once he reaches full fitness.
💰 Why Liverpool have high hopes for Leoni
Liverpool signed Leoni from Parma for around £26 million, despite the defender having made only 17 Serie A appearances at the time.
The teenager had already built a strong reputation in Italy, and Liverpool viewed him as a major long-term investment for the future.
Unfortunately, his first competitive appearance for the club ended in heartbreaking fashion when he suffered his ACL injury during the 2-1 EFL Cup victory over Southampton.
Since then, supporters have had to wait patiently to see what the highly rated defender can offer.
Now, that wait could finally be nearing its end.
❤️ Anfield is waiting
Leoni still has plenty of work to do before he can return to Premier League football, and Liverpool will be determined not to put unnecessary pressure on him.
But the prospect of seeing the Italian defender back in a Liverpool shirt after such a long absence will undoubtedly excite supporters.
If everything goes according to plan, the coming weeks could mark the beginning of the final chapter of one of the toughest periods of Leoni’s young career.
And when he eventually walks back onto the pitch at Anfield, there is every reason to expect a special welcome from the Liverpool supporters.
Giovanni Leoni’s long-awaited Liverpool comeback is finally getting closer. 🔴❤️
