Liverpool manager Arne Slot was handed over Conundrum after signing Giovanni Leoni after his summer signing, and then suffered a season-ending injury in his debut.
Liverpool spent £450 million during their summer transfer period, but still ended it with potential issues with their team. With just seven games in the new campaign, something nearly disaster strikes.
Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Southampton in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night had two warnings. Most obviously was the unnecessary red card of Hugo Ekitike, who took off his shirt after scoring the winning goal. But even more trouble was a serious knee injury that Giovanni Leoni suffered.
The 18-year-old centre-back, who joined the Reds on a £26 million contract from Palma in August, had made his Liverpool debut at Anfield when he suffered a potential season-ending injury. It is a cruel blow to the young Italian and gives Arne Slot a real headache.
The Liverpool boss saw his team bolstered with the arrival of eight players in the summer, but the majority of the money spent on attacking Ekitique, Alexander Isaac and Florian Wiltz went on attack with three most expensive additions. Leoni, Milos Kerkez and Jeremy Fripon joined the defense, but the club knew they had a shortened transfer window in the central defense.
read more: Liverpool fears serious Giovanni Leoni injury in Arne’s slot cruel blowread more: Virgil van Dyke supported by Liverpool teammates after a four-word Barondoor or message
The Reds sold Jarrell Quansah to Bayer Lebakusen for £35 million, and Leoni was his replacement as a backup centre-back. However, Leoni’s injury leaves Joe Gomez as the only other senior central defender on the first team.
That’s because they ultimately didn’t get a deal over Mark Guech’s line on the deadline. Crystal Palace Chairman Steve Parish had a heart change after Guech had already done medical care and pulled the plug. With the England star’s contract expired in the summer, it’s possible he could still arrive at Anfield, but the fact that Liverpool was willing to pay him £35 million a month ago shows their need here and now.
Virgil Van Dijk and Konate Ibrahima were the indisputable No. 1 pairings in the central defense and were the foundation of Liverpool’s success last season. However, they cannot play all the games in all four competitions. Modern football requires rotation, but there is no option, so slots may need to risk additional injuries.
Midfielders Watul End and Ryan Gravenburch were previously filled with centre-backs, but neither is the ideal solution. The header of Endo’s false judges, who allowed Shea Charles to make it 1-1 on Tuesday night, showed his limits, but Gravenberch was undoubtedly Liverpool’s best player in 2025 and played in midfielder holdings. Move him backwards and his output will be interrupted.
The slot could also call Rise Williams, but the 24-year-old academy alumni was relegated to the non-league last season and spent on loans with Morecambe. As for other academy players, there is a time and place to spill them blood, and slots now don’t have that luxury option.
Andy Robertson or Connor Bradley can also move from fullback to center back, but neither are suitable to play a role. If the situation in the central defense gets worse, there’s 99 days until the January transfer window opens for business, and the slots may be overcoming them on his calendar.
Van Dick and Gomez have previously suffered serious knee injuries, and the gauntlets that the game has little choice but to run too much, thick and fast, is the game’s gauntlet. The irony of traveling to Selhurst Park this weekend to face the palace side of Guech is certainly not lost in Liverpool.
After Liverpool didn’t land Guehi, Slot suggested he had plenty of options. “We played a day or two ago. We played Arsenal. At Arsenal, Virgil and Evou played an outstanding game, and Joe came 20 minutes before the end and was outstanding,” he said.
“We’re signing Giovanni Leoni, who had the first international call, and Ryan and cotton that we can play there, so suddenly there’s no choice in that position.” As Leoni stands on the sidelines, the slot may not feel the same anymore.
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