Liverpool news: New signing joins first team as Arne Slot hails 'beast' transformation

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Liverpool are in for a tense end to the season as they hunt qualification for next term's Champions League. And Arne Slot is pulling strings behind the scenes to ensure the strongest finish possible for his side.

The Reds have added to their first-team squad with a month of the campaign still to play. And it's a move that could help them solidify a top-five place in pursuit of a return to Europe's elite.

Slot has also credited one of Liverpool's greatest prospects for "becoming a beast" during a recent spell out of action. Mirror Football brings you the latest headlines from around Anfield as the Merseysiders target a sprint finish at the end of a topsy-turvy campaign.

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Fans were left scratching their heads after Liverpool announced their sole winter signing in January. But it may not be long before they get to know the name of Mor Talla Ndiaye on a much more intimate level.

Ndiaye, 18, is the only new face to arrive at Anfield in 2026 after he joined from Senegalese side Amitie for roughly £1million. The teenage centre-back was sidelined by an injury discovered during his Liverpool medical, but is now making ground on Merseyside.

And he's inching closer to a first-team introduction after joining Slot's ranks for the first time this week. Ndiaye formed part of the senior training group ahead of Saturday's clash with Crystal Palace and was no doubt considered to be named on the bench at Anfield.

There are high hopes for what's to come from the budget arrival, who was a midfielder prior to transitioning into defence at Amitie. Liverpool are setting stones in places to prepare for the inevitable departure of club icon Virgil van Dijk, who looks poised to leave when his contract expires in 2027.

The Reds spent a lot more to secure the signing of Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet, who agreed a £55m move ahead of this summer. However, fans will hopefully soon get to feast their eyes on Ndiaye as he beds into the group, having earned his first minutes for Liverpool's under-21s just last month.

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Speaking of young central defenders at Slot's disposal, the Dutchman has also credited Giovanni Leoni with his recent transformation. Leoni, 19, has been out of action since tearing his ACL in September and has made a single appearance for the Reds to date.

That being said, he has put his time on the sidelines to good use. And Slot is only too aware of the specimen he has on his hands after Leoni arrived from Parma last summer to much acclaim .

The Liverpool chief was discussing Hugo Ekitike's recent season-ending injury when Leoni came to mind. And fans will feel some excitement about the boss' enthusiastic response in light of the youngster's progress.

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Speaking at a press conference ahead of hosting Palace this weekend, Slot said at his press conference: "He [Ekitike] will be back stronger, as well as the others who have been injured for such a long time.

"If you look at Giovanni Leoni, I don’t know if you once in a while see some Instagram posts of the club, but this guy has become a beast!"

Leoni is currently stepping up his recovery process and is projected for a return to action closer to the tail end of 2026. As such, he isn't expected to have any more say in what has otherwise been a forgettable first term in England.

That being said, that's no reason why fans can't feel excitement at what's to come for the player next term. And if there were concerns about Leoni feeling the physical strain of the Premier League, those concerns may subside once they see the player's new-and-improved rig.