NafisaLucas Perri set for Leeds United exit as Torino medical booked with James Trafford arrival finally clearing the way
Lucas Perri could finally complete his move away from Leeds United in the coming days, with Torino now preparing for the goalkeeper to arrive in Italy and undergo his medical.
The Brazilian has been expected to leave Elland Road for several weeks, but the transfer has repeatedly been held up by circumstances surrounding Leeds’ own goalkeeping department.
Now, with James Trafford officially through the door, there appears to be very little standing in the way of Perri’s departure.
The 28-year-old is expected to join Torino on an initial loan deal, with the agreement reportedly containing a £9.4million option to buy.
According to SportMediaset journalist Orazio Accomando, Perri is expected to arrive at Torino on Monday, with the Serie A club having already scheduled his medical.
The final green light is reportedly all that is required before the move can progress.
For Leeds, the departure will bring an end to a frustrating spell for Perri, who arrived from Lyon last summer with high expectations surrounding his arrival.
The Whites reportedly paid a package worth around £15.6million to bring the Brazilian to West Yorkshire, with the expectation that he could establish himself as a long-term solution between the posts.
Instead, his first season failed to go according to plan.
Perri struggled to convince Daniel Farke that he was the reliable first-choice goalkeeper Leeds needed, eventually losing his place as Karl Darlow became the manager’s preferred option.
The arrival of Trafford has now made Perri’s position even clearer.
Leeds spent a club-record fee on the England international after identifying him as their preferred goalkeeper for the new Premier League campaign, and once the deal was completed, the path was finally opened for Perri to pursue a fresh challenge in Italy.
What Lucas Perri is waiting for to complete Leeds United exit:
Perri’s move to Torino has not collapsed despite the lengthy wait.
The main complication appeared to be his quad injury, which delayed the goalkeeper’s ability to complete the necessary steps ahead of the transfer.
However, the agreement has remained in place and Torino have continued working towards bringing him to Serie A.
Now, with his medical scheduled, there is growing confidence that the transfer could finally be wrapped up next week.
Torino have been looking for a new goalkeeper and see Perri as a player capable of taking over as their first-choice option.
For Perri, the move also represents an opportunity to rebuild his career after an underwhelming first season in English football.
Leeds, meanwhile, will need to make sure they are adequately covered behind Trafford.
Alex Cairns has been Farke’s preferred goalkeeping option during pre-season following the departures of Darlow and Illan Meslier, but the Whites are expected to explore the market for another goalkeeper.
Trafford is now the undisputed No.1, but a Premier League squad cannot afford to be left short in such an important position.
Three transfers Leeds United could still complete
Perri’s departure could therefore trigger another piece of business at Elland Road.
The Whites have already spent heavily this summer, with Harry Wilson, Tarik Muharemovic and Trafford among the headline additions, but Farke still needs greater depth in several areas.
A new No.2 goalkeeper is one obvious requirement.
The club also need to consider their options at left-back after Gabriel Gudmundsson suffered a muscle injury that is expected to keep him out of the beginning of the Premier League campaign.
Farke does have James Justin and young Jayden Lienou available, but the Gudmundsson setback has highlighted the lack of specialist depth in that position.
That could force Leeds back into the market before the window closes.
There could also be room for another striker if the right opportunity presents itself.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has made an encouraging start during pre-season and appears ready to lead the line for Farke, while Lukas Nmecha has also provided another option.
Nevertheless, Leeds could still take advantage of an opportunity in the market if a suitable No.9 becomes available before deadline day.
The priority now is to ensure that the squad has enough quality and depth to cope with the demands of another Premier League campaign.
Perri’s imminent departure would remove another player from the wage bill, while potentially creating the space and resources needed for further additions.
With Torino expecting Perri in Italy and Leeds already having Trafford secured, one long-running transfer saga appears close to reaching its conclusion.
The next question is whether Paraag Marathe and the Leeds recruitment team can use the remaining weeks of the window to complete the other deals Farke still needs.
Nafisa
