Liverpool transfer news: European giants hope to 'capitalise' on summer overhaul in defence by signing Arne Slot centre-back

Inter Milan are reported to be interested in taking Giovanni Leoni from on loan Liverpool this summer.

The Merseysiders will be thankful that Premier League football was paused considering they were beaten 2-1 by Brighton & Hove Albion prior to the international break.

Fans were concerned that the Reds looked so poor at the back against the Seagulls, with Ibrahima Konate struggling once again.

Arne Slot has largely been forced to play the Frenchman due to the knee injury that Giovanni Leoni suffered against Southampton in September 2025.

Calciomercato claim that Leoni has emerged as a target for Inter Milan, who have serious doubts about the futrues of Stefan de Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni.

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Ibrahima Konate? Jeremy Jacquet? What will Liverpool's defence look like?

Despite the struggles of the team, captain Virgil van Dijk has largely performed well, and he is certain to be a mainstay in the XI next season.

However, Konate's contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and perhaps Jeremy Jacquet was signed as a replacement for the centre-back.

It is hard to Leoni claiming a starting spot given the Reds spent in the region of £60m on the Jacquet, though both are currently sidelined due to serious knee and shoulder injuries respectively.

The experience of Joe Gomez will be needed next season, as while he may not be seen as a first-choice centre-back, the Englishman has played a key role for many years as a reliable backup.

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Could Liverpool move to a back three with Xabi Alonso?

The future of Arne Slot is far from certain, and former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alsono has been consistently linked with the Anfield job.

Should the Spaniard replace Slot, he may want to use the same 3-4-3 system that he used so successfully at Bayer Leverkusen, though the Reds do not currently have adequate depth at centre-back.

Alonso did use a four-man defence at Real Madrid, but there is an argument that it would be better for him to use a style that he has already had success with.