Gianluca Di Marzio claims Napoli are closing in on a deal that could be worth as much as £6m to sign Elia Caprile from Bari, after leaving Leeds United last summer – and the Whites are entitled to a quarter of the transfer fee.
Caprile, 21, spent two and a half years at Leeds after joining the Whites from Chievo in January 2020. A regular for the U21 side and often seen on the bench under Marcelo Bielsa, he joined third-tier side Pro Patria in 2021-22.
Returning to Leeds last summer, he joined Serie B side Bari permanently. He instantly starred, securing 16 clean sheets in 43 games and conceding just 37 goals. That has seemingly attracted interest from the top tier of Italy.
League Champions Napoli are set to move. Having won Serie A and qualified for the Champions League, they are set to strike a deal for Caprile – but will immediately send the Italy U21 stopper on loan to Serie A outfit Empoli.
Di Marzio reports that Napoli will pay a fee between £5.2m and £6m for Caprile, a huge influx of cash for a club like Bari. Di Marzio also says Leeds have a clause in his Bari deal; we are entitled to 25%. Fee between £1.3m and £1.5m.
Napoli closing in on £6m Caprile deal: Leeds entitled to a quarter of fee
It is ironic that Leeds are in the market for a new goalkeeper, and that a former goalkeeper – who is starting to show potential of a top-tier career and potential Italy caps – is on the move. Caprile will play for Empoli on loan next term.
He would be a wonderful signing if brought back to England, and there are of course, question marks over whether Leeds should have sold him. But, if we hadn’t let him go to Bari, a move to Napoli would never have happened.
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