Liverpool have signed the best in the world

Liverpool made so many signings over the course of the summer transfer window.

This was the project Richard Hughes had signed up for, and he delivered a mammoth run of a window.

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From start to finish, Liverpool fans were thoroughly entertained as the Reds got a plethora of deal over the line, including breaking their own transfer record twice for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.

There was so much happening that some of the deals have also gone under the radar.

It's easy to forget that there are some new signings who haven't even made an appearance yet for the club in a competitive game.

Think about Armin Pecsi, who has been playing for the Reds' U21 side instead. Or Giorgi Mamardashvili, who has been spending his first few games on the bench.

But they aren't the only ones.

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One Liverpool signing that went under the radar was the arrival of Giovanni Leoni. Only 18-years-old, he's not made an appearance for the Reds yet.

We haven't even seen him in a friendly game, nor play for the U21s. Sometimes, he has not even made the squad for the first-team. Such is the competition for places at the moment.

But it's very early days and Liverpool signed Leoni for the long-term, not the short-term and there is a big reason as to why that is.

In years to come, we may look back on the signing of Leoni as the best deal of the summer window.

Italian legend explains why Leoni can become one of the best in the world

Former Parma player Alessandro Lucarelli was asked about Leoni's signing for Liverpool in an interview with Goal Italia as per Forza Parma and he had high praise for the Italian.

“Leoni, the best defender in the world? Looking ahead, he might be; being the best defender in the world is tough. His qualities are unquestionable, he has everything it takes to become a world-class player," Lucarelli said.

“Time is on his side. He’s very young and can still improve. Even at this age, he’s shown he’s one of the best young players in Europe; otherwise, Liverpool wouldn’t have signed him.”

This is high praise for a player who is so young. Yet it's well-deserved given the maturity with which Leoni performed in Serie A last season.

It's also a reminder of just why Liverpool ended up signing the youngster. The club's recruitment team saw tremendous potential in him. The kind of potential that could see him realise becoming the best defender in the world.

His role model growing up has been Virgil van Dijk, so now Leoni can follow in the Liverpool captain's footsteps and learn from the current best defender in the world how to take the throne from him in the future.

It's a genius move from Liverpool. And another example of just how impressive the summer window was for the Reds.

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