LONDON, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Liverpool defender Giovanni Leoni will miss the next year after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, manager Arne Slot has confirmed.

The 18-year-old suffered the injury on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday.

Leoni only joined the Reds in August from Parma in a deal worth 26 million pounds plus add-ons.

"He is not in a good place because he tore his ACL which means he will be out for a year," said Slot. "Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game, it's very hard to take the positives. There is never a positive side, but you try to look at that, and that he is still so young, and he has so many years still go to after he recovers from a terrible injury."

The setback leaves Slot with just three recognized centre-backs: Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez.

Liverpool has added forward Federico Chiesa to its Champions League squad in place of Leoni.

Slot's side has started the season perfectly, winning all five of its Premier League matches with the aim to defend its title. The team will travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace on Saturday. ■