Parma Calcio have officially announced the signing of Giovanni Leoni from Sampdoria on a permanent deal. The 18-year-old defender joins the Emilian club after making his Serie B debut last season.
Born in Rome in 2006, Leoni became the youngest player to feature in Serie B last season, making 12 appearances for Sampdoria. He is known for his aerial ability and was ranked second only to Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí among defenders with at least 10 appearances across Europe’s top five leagues and their second divisions.
Upon signing, Leoni expressed his excitement about joining Parma: “I’m happy and excited for this new experience. I’m ready to give 100 percent every day, in training and on the pitch. I can’t wait to work with the coaching staff and my new teammates. What struck me about this move is that Parma has focused a lot on young players in recent years, with a low average age in the squad. I thought it was the perfect time to join this club.”
Mauro Pederzoli, Parma’s Sporting Director, welcomed the young defender: “We’re happy to welcome Giovanni. He’s very young, born in 2006, and is part of Italy’s youth national teams. He has great determination and desire. He’s a player who needs to be given the opportunity to grow and improve. He’ll have to work hard to establish himself and show the qualities that impressed us during his last Serie B season.”
