Torino is circling Leeds United goalkeeper Lucas Perri this summer. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Serie A club has added the 26-year-old Brazilian to a shortlist that also includes Aaron Ramsdale and Paraguay’s Orlando Gill. It’s a move that makes sense if you’ve watched Leeds’ goalie situation lately.
Perri joined Leeds from Lyon last summer in a £16 million deal. The idea was that he’d walk in and take the No. 1 job. That didn’t exactly happen. He started 16 Premier League games, but his last one came in January. Back-to-back mistakes against Manchester United and Newcastle got him pulled, and his only appearances after that were in the FA Cup. Karl Darlow ended up playing more league minutes down the stretch.
Here’s where it gets interesting for Leeds. Right now, Perri is the only senior goalkeeper under contract. Darlow, Illan Meslier, and Alex Cairns are all set to leave. Meslier is reportedly headed to Premier League champions Arsenal. Darlow has a contract offer from Leeds on the table, but both Manchester United and Everton have also made proposals. He’s weighing his options.
If Darlow walks, Leeds is looking at a full rebuild in goal. Recruitment staff are already scouting replacements. Japan international Zion Suzuki is on their radar, though reports of an active pursuit are probably premature. Manchester City’s James Trafford is another name, but his price tag is reportedly around £40 million. That’s steep for a club that just got relegated.
Torino’s interest in Perri isn’t surprising. He’s young for a goalkeeper, has experience in both Ligue 1 and the Premier League, and his value has probably dropped after a tough season. Leeds might be willing to deal if it means freeing up funds for other positions. The club hasn’t confirmed anything, but the rumor mill is spinning.
Perri’s situation is a reminder that the step up from Lyon to Leeds wasn’t as smooth as everyone hoped. He’s got the physical tools — 6-foot-5, quick reflexes, decent with his feet. But Premier League strikers punished his errors, and confidence took a hit. A fresh start in Italy could be exactly what he needs. Torino plays a more tactical style, and the pace is different. Sometimes a change of scenery fixes things that more training can’t.
Leeds, meanwhile, has to figure out who’s actually going to be in net come August. They’re in talks with Darlow, but if he leaves, the whole depth chart gets flipped. For a team trying to push back into the Premier League, that’s not a position you want to be in.
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