Liverpool wasted no time in showing their giant new wonderkid why he’s destined for greatness. They’ve got a special one here.

Liverpool completed the signing of Giovanni Leoni on Friday ahead of their 4-2 win over Bournemouth. The Italian joins for around £26m from Parma as the Reds tie down one of the hottest prospects in Europe.

There aren’t many 18-year-old centre-backs playing regularly in a top European league, after all. Leoni managed just that last season, however, as he forced his way into Parma’s starting XI.

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He’s an elite talent – one who will immediately jump into Liverpool’s first-team squad and, if he holds his own, eventually pickup homegrown status. A fantastic deal all around, honestly.

But not all wonderkids are the same. If you want to actually play a top young talent and develop him correctly, you need to be able to use him – and he’s got to be able to excel.

Leoni was at the Anfield clash on Friday to watch his new team play. And it should have removed any and all doubts that Liverpool is the place for him.

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Leoni is, on paper, perfect for Liverpool. If only because of his physical attributes.

The teenager stands 6ft 5 tall and boasts the physicality that comes with it. It’s why he’s able to win 63 per cent of his aerial duels against far more senior players and why he’s been described internally as ‘an absolute joke’.

And that’s a trait Liverpool are after. They want that kind of physicality at the back – players capable of battling one vs one in duels, capable of bossing attackers in isolation.

It’s been a hallmark of Virgil van Dijk’s play at Liverpool and Leoni does view him as an idol. He’ll have been impressed against Bournemouth, then, as the Dutchman made a ridiculous 17 clearances, 13 of which came in the air.

That’s a record for Van Dijk with both numbers.

And this is what Liverpool want Leoni to become. The Van Dijk successor, basically.

Someone who can defend against counter-attacks on his own and fight for the ball in duels, removing outlets for teams and not allowing them to get footholds high up the pitch. Leoni is destined to deliver that at a high level – he can already do it at 18.

Liverpool is the right place for him, then. The Italian fits the bill for what the Reds want in a defender and that means he should fulfil his potential at Anfield, or at least have the best possible chance of doing so.

And what incredible potential it is.