For the second time in the space of a week, 2023 Serie A champions Napoli are doing a deal which may attract some semblance of interest amongst the Leeds United fanbase.
He might not have played a game at Elland Road during his two years in West Yorkshire, but Elia Caprile’s post-Leeds United career has made for some pretty interesting viewing.
After blossoming at Bari, securing himself a transfer to one of Italy’s A-list clubs, the 23-year-old goalkeeper was on the move again this month. Napoli sent Elia Caprile on loan to Cagliari, and thus handed the former Leeds reserve the chance to play regular Serie A football between now and May.
As Caprile departs, albeit temporarily, Philip Billing is due to a arrive at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Now, Leeds were linked with the £15 million AFC Bournemouth midfielder over the summer, although somewhat tenuously. So with Billing on his way to Napoli, just months after a reported switch to the Championship was on the cards, casual observers would be forgiven for assuming the towering Denmark international had found some form in the first half of 2024/25.
Well, not quite.
Philip Billing set for shock Napoli switch after Leeds United links
Billing has started only one Premier League match for Bournemouth this term. Yet, perhaps inspired by the impact both Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay have made after joining from Brighton and Manchester United respectively, Napoli obviously feel that they have tapped into a rich vein in terms of English-based players who may be on the lookout for a fresh start.
Antonio Conte’s side were allegedly trying to sign Chelsea benchwarmer Cesare Casadei before settling on Bournemouth’s number 29.
Billing is reportedly joining on loan with a purchase clause worth around £8 million in his Partenopei contract.
It’s fair to say Billing will arrive with something of a point to prove, however. While it is easy to see why Leeds United may have liked him – Billing is proven at Championship level and a reliable source of goals from midfield – a player who cannot get into the Bournemouth XI joining a club with Scudetto ambitions has been met some bemusement.
“He is in a player with a strong build, with good technique,” Italian football expert Alessandro D’Aria tells Area Napoli. “Good at making runs but rather cumbersome in his movements.
“Above all, a profile on which Bournemouth had invested 16 million euros. Who, in reality, did quite well in the Championship but then disappointed quite a bit in the Premier League, [and] ending up playing very little this season too.
“The doubts are related to [signing] a player who doesn’t know our football, no longer very young given that he’s approaching 29, who all in all doesn’t seem to add value to Conte’s squad.
“In short, taking someone just to make up the numbers and complete the roster for training seems really strange to me for a club that is fighting for the title. I would expect some additions of a different value and level.
“For example, the name of Casadei seems more in line with the policy that Napoli should pursue.”
Napoli will not be expecting a late hi-jack from Elland Road, with Daniel Farke admitting Leeds are in for a rather ‘quiet’ January.
That has not stopped Leeds’ links with Nico Elvedi of Borussia Monchengladbach, as well as Andrew Omobamidele, Christopher Wooh and even the seemingly Manchester City-bound Abdukodir Khusanov.
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