Giovanni Leoni‘s serious knee injury was the big news to break on Wednesday, as were reports of looming contract talks with Ryan Gravenberch.
Today’s Main LFC Headline
Sources in Italy, and transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, reported on Wednesday afternoon that Leoni had sustained an ACL injury that will cruelly end his season prematurely.
Merseyside reporters have yet to confirm the diagnosis, but it appears only a matter of time after the Italian’s left knee was forced into an unnatural position on debut.
There is plenty for Liverpool to consider, and it will likely have a direct impact on the future of Federico Chiesa and Marc Guehi.
The former stands to be added to the club’s Champions League squad, even if he plays on the opposite end of the pitch, after UEFA’s rules changed to allow clubs to replace a player with a long-term injury.
Palace, meanwhile, will be hoping to get a payday after all for their captain in January after his £35 million move to Anfield collapsed on deadline day.
Liverpool have been widely reported to be willing to wait to sign him as a free agent next summer, but Leoni’s injury will surely force their hand. Palace would be wise to keep figures respectable and representative!
Today’s Liverpool FC News
* Watch Chiesa’s interview post-Southampton here
• Gravenberch is set for a new contract at Liverpool, according to journalist Ben Jacobs. Talks will get underway in the winter to recognise his form – fully deserved!
• Chiesa says “there is nothing wrong” with his song as he spoke to reporters about his fitness and involvement for Liverpool this season
• Southampton manager Will Still was told by Hugo Ekitike that he ‘would score, give me his shirt and bugger off’ – afraid you took that a little too literally, Hugo!
• Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says he ‘believes it would have been better for Florian Wirtz personally if he had made the move to Munich rather than Liverpool’ – acceptance is the first step…(BILD)
• Tyler Morton has no regrets for choosing a move abroad to Lyon, with the midfielder saying “the quality and intensity of French football are comparable to those of the Premier League” (Le Progres)
More from This Is Anfield
After another narrow victory, Joanna Durkan took a look at the new club record Slot’s men have set:
Liverpool have a fondness for late drama this season, and that’s putting it lightly, needing winners in the last 10 minutes of six of their seven fixtures across league and cup.
There was a hope that Liverpool’s summer business would make matches less dramatic or tense, but the 2-1 win over Southampton was the sixth win by a one-goal margin this season.
As per Opta‘s Michael Reid, it is the longest-ever run of one-goal wins in the club’s entire 133-year history – talk about fine margins!
READ: Liverpool have just set longest-ever run of one-goal wins in club history
Elsewhere in the football world today
• What are they smoking at the Emirates? Mikel Arteta has gone deeper into his delusions, claiming his phone was inundated with messages from coaches, managers, CEOs and presidents who couldn’t believe what Arsenal did to Man City…
• Barcelona midfielder Gavi could be sidelined for up to five months after knee surgery – you sense young players are paying the price for too much early exposure! (FCB)
• South American confederation CONMEBOL want a 64-TEAM World Cup, as if 48 next summer is not enough – they’re really trying to put ‘World’ in the World Cup (Sky Sports)
Liverpool FC: On this day
Five years ago, Diogo Jota made his Liverpool debut, coming on for Harvey Elliott in the 57th minute of a League Cup third-round tie away at Lincoln.
Wearing Liverpool’s turquoise 2020/21 away strip, our No. 20 came on with Jurgen Klopp‘s side already 5-0 up and helped finish the game in style with a 7-2 win.
It would be the first of 182 appearances for the Reds in which Jota scored 65 goals and lifted three major trophies, culminating in the Premier League title just five weeks before he died.
Forever 20.