Gianluca Di Marzio reports Napoli are close to agreeing a deal to recruit Elia Caprile from Bari after he left Leeds United last summer – and the Whites are entitled to a quarter of the transfer cost
Caprile, 21, joined Leeds from Chievo in January 2020 and spent two and a half years there. He joined third-tier team Pro Patria in 2021-22 after being a fixture for the U21 side and frequently seen on the bench under Marcelo Bielsa.
After returning to Leeds last summer, he signed a permanent contract with Serie B club Bari. He had an immediate impact, keeping 16 clean sheets in 43 games and surrendering only 37 goals. This appears to have piqued the curiosity of Italy’s top tier.
League Winners Napoli are on the move. They are likely to sign Caprile after winning Serie A and qualifying for the Champions League, but will first loan the Italy U21 goalkeeper to Serie A club Empoli.
According to Di Marzio, Napoli will pay between £5.2 million and £6 million for Caprile, a significant sum for a club like Bari. Di Marzio also claims that Leeds have a clause in his Bari contract that allows us to take 25% of the revenue. The fee ranges between £1.3m and £1.5m.
Napoli is closing in on a £6 million agreement for Caprile, with Leeds entitled to a quarter of the money.
It’s odd that Leeds are looking for a new goalkeeper while a former goalie – who is showing signs of a top-tier career and possible Italy caps – is on the move. Caprile will play on loan for Empoli next season.
He would be a fantastic acquisition if brought back to England, and there are questions over whether Leeds should have sold him in the first place. However, if we had not allowed him to travel to Bari, a move to Napoli would not have occurred.
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