Report: What Liverpool plan to do with Giovanni Leoni 12 months on from devastating ACL rupture

Tomorrow marks one year since Giovanni Leoni suffered a devastating ACL injury during his senior debut for Liverpool in a Carabao Cup victory over Southampton. The 19-year-old Italian defender has not played since that night at Anfield, and recovery has been a long and challenging process. Early this August, Leoni said he could finally see "light at the end of the tunnel."

According to recent reports, Liverpool will take a patient approach with Leoni, avoiding rushing him back from injury or taking any unnecessary risks. With the Reds well-stocked in the center-back department following Joe Gomez's return to action, Andoni Iraola will have the luxury of easing the Italian youngster back into the fold.

Once Leoni is fit enough to play again, he could start with substitute outings of increasing length or possibly minutes off the bench in Premier League games if Liverpool have a commanding lead.

Even after resuming fitness, Leoni might face a challenge to break up the dominant center-back pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Jeremy Jacquet. While his presence on the pitch will be warmly welcomed by Liverpool fans, his return will likely be a gradual process given the severity of his injury last year.