The vast majority of Leeds United’s signings over recent years have been welcome additions to Daniel Farke’s squad at Elland Road.
When the German manager first took over in West Yorkshire, the likes of Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon were both brought in, with both going on to become parts of the spine that make up this current United side.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anton Stach are among those who arrived following the Whites’ promotion to the Premier League, with both players playing vital roles in the success Leeds have enjoyed in the top flight so far.
However, it is a player who left Elland Road in recent years who has been making headlines of late, with the decision to let him go looking like it could potentially come back to bite Leeds.
Aston Villa chasing former Leeds United goalkeeper Elia Caprile
Caprile, 24, left Leeds in the summer of 2022 after having never made a single appearance for the first team.
The Italian shot-stopper was initially loaned out to Pro Patria before being sold permanently to Bari.
Now at Cagliari, Caprile is an established first-choice goalkeeper for the Serie A outfit, who currently sit in 13th.
Caprile’s performances have also not gone unnoticed, with Saturday’s edition of Tuttosport suggesting that Aston Villa are eyeing up a move for the goalkeeper, with Unai Emery reportedly being a big fan of the Italian.
Emery is said to believe that Caprile is capable of replacing Emi Martinez in between the sticks at Villa Park, with the Argentinian facing an uncertain future at the club.
Given the trouble Leeds have had over multiple seasons when it comes to having a safe and reliable pair of hands in goal for them, the fact that a player who was once on their books could be playing in the Champions League for Villa next season would be a bitter pill to swallow.
Lucas Perri under pressure to impress against Norwich
Part of the reason Leeds will regret the decision to let Caprile go is due to the fact that Perri has been underwhelming for Leeds since his big-money move over the summer.
The Brazilian’s performances have seen him slide down the pecking order behind Karl Darlow, with the 28-year-old warming United’s bench despite costing around £15.6million.
Perri did put in an impressive performance in his last outing in the FA Cup against Birmingham, and the upcoming cup tie against Norwich is another opportunity for the Brazilian to impress Farke.
- Perri made an incredible acrobatic save to deny Jay Stansfield during the cup-tie
- Perri made four saves during the game, as well as a save during the penalty shootout
- He also managed one high claim against Birmingham (Sofascore)
However, Leeds fans will know that if they had just kept Caprile and given him a chance, then they wouldn’t have to worry about whether Perri can get back to his best.
