I think Liverpool supporters are going to like Giovanni Leoni even more after hearing this.
We already knew the young Italian had been through an awful year.
He arrived at Liverpool with so much excitement, made his debut against Southampton and then suffered an ACL injury that completely changed his first season at the club.
But what has happened since then tells us something important about the person Liverpool signed.
Leoni hasn’t let it break him.
According to Gregg Evans of The Athletic, sources close to Liverpool say that despite spending a year on the sidelines and going through some understandably difficult days, Leoni has never allowed his focus to slip.
And one decision in particular really stands out.
He chose to stay at the AXA
Leoni could have gone elsewhere during his rehabilitation.
Instead, he chose to remain at Liverpool’s AXA Training Centre.
That might not sound like a huge thing, but after spending more than a year recovering from an ACL injury, I think it says quite a lot about him.
Evans reports that Leoni wanted to stay at the training centre because he wanted to build stronger relationships with the staff around him.
He didn’t simply want to complete his rehabilitation and get back on the pitch.
He wanted to become part of Liverpool.
And that matters.
He’s been around the club’s performance and medical staff for months, working with the people who have been helping him through one of the most difficult periods of his young career.
Liverpool’s own interview with Leoni earlier this year showed just how much the rehabilitation had affected him mentally as well as physically. He admitted there were more bad days than good ones at the beginning, but said he tried to view the experience as an opportunity to improve.
That attitude is impressive for a 19-year-old.
He has used the time wisely
Leoni hasn’t simply been waiting for his knee to heal.
He’s been learning.
He’s been improving his English.
He’s been getting to know Liverpool and the people around the club.
And according to the latest reporting, that time spent at the AXA has been noticed by the people working with him.
There is genuine respect for the way he has handled the setback and the dedication he has shown throughout the rehabilitation process.
That’s something I really like.
Because footballers can talk about mentality all day long.
Leoni has actually had to demonstrate it.
Imagine arriving at a new country, a new club and a completely different level of expectation, only to suffer an ACL injury almost immediately.
For a teenager, that could have been incredibly difficult.
Instead, he stayed close to the club.
He worked.
He learned.
And he kept going.
Now the exciting part begins
The really good news is that the end of this nightmare is finally getting closer.
Leoni is expected to return to full training this month, with the week commencing October 12 currently being targeted.
But I don’t think anybody should be expecting him to suddenly walk back into the Liverpool starting XI.
He’s been out for more than a year.
There will be no need to rush him.
He’ll need training.
Then he’ll need competitive minutes.
And Liverpool have enough defensive options now to give him the time he needs.
That’s actually a brilliant position for Iraola to be in.
Virgil van Dijk is still leading the defence.
Jérémy Jacquet has emerged as one of Liverpool’s most exciting young players.
Ronald Araújo can play at centre-back or right-back.
Joe Gomez provides experience and versatility.
And then you’ve got Leoni waiting in the background.
That’s some defensive group.
But I’m particularly excited about Leoni
We only saw 81 competitive minutes from him before that horrible injury.
That’s nowhere near enough to judge what kind of Liverpool player he’s going to become.
But there was enough in those 81 minutes to understand why Liverpool were so keen to sign him.
He’s 19.
He’s 6ft 5in.
He’s got an exciting physical profile.
And now he’s had a year inside Liverpool’s environment learning exactly what is expected of him.
That’s something people shouldn’t overlook.
When Leoni eventually steps onto a football pitch again, he won’t simply be the same teenager who arrived from Parma.
He’ll have experienced something that most young players never have to deal with.
And hopefully he’ll come back stronger for it.
This tells me a lot about Liverpool’s signing
Transfer fees and scouting reports are one thing.
Character is another.
Liverpool clearly believed Leoni had the potential to become an important player when they signed him.
Now we’re getting an insight into the other side of the player.
The patience.
The determination.
The willingness to stay at the training ground and build relationships with the people helping him recover.
That’s exactly the sort of attitude you want from a young player at Liverpool.
I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing him back.
Not because I expect him to solve all of Liverpool’s defensive problems immediately.
Quite the opposite.
I want Liverpool to take their time with him.
Let him train.
Let him get comfortable again.
Let him play some games.
Let him remember what it feels like to be a footballer again.
Then we’ll see what he’s capable of.
Because after everything Giovanni Leoni has been through, he deserves that chance.
And if his attitude during the last year is anything to go by, I wouldn’t bet against him making the most of it.
By Jamie (The Kopite View)
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