Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni faces months on the sidelines after suffering a suspected anterior cruciate ligament injury on his debut.
The 18-year-old played 81 minutes of Tuesday’s 2-1 Carabao Cup third-round win over Southampton before going off with the injury.
Leoni, who joined the Reds in August from Parma for a fee of £26m plus add-ons, has since had tests on his left knee.
Sources have indicated the centre-back has damaged his ACL, which would probably rule out the teenager for most – if not all – of the rest of the season.
The injury leaves Liverpool head coach Arne Slot with just three recognised centre-backs in Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez.
Liverpool are able to replace Leoni in their Champions League squad, with forward Federico Chiesa among the contenders for inclusion.
