Leeds United youngster 'ready' for new challenge as club chief recalls penalty incident

Elia Caprile’s time at Leeds United looks to be over with the young goalkeeper on the verge of a permanent return to his native Italy.

Caprile spent last season on loan at third tier outfit Aurora Pro Patria where he kept 13 clean sheets in all competitions.

Newly-promoted Serie B team, who will play in the second division of Italian football for the first time since 2018, SSC Bari look set to announce the young stopper on a reported three-year deal.

Whilst on loan last season, the 20-year-old impressed Pro Patria executive Sandro Turotti who has spoken glowingly about the goalkeeper’s attitude and application after a difficult period during the pandemic at Leeds.

As quoted by SportWitness, Turotti told Tutto Bari: “'I was immediately very pleased. It is the right path for the boy, he is ready to do this category [Serie B].”

"He is a goalkeeper who has all the characteristics to be able to break through. He is a 2001 who gained important experience in the second team at Leeds the year before coming to us. At Pro Patria he was a starter in a difficult league like the Serie C. Speaking of youngsters, I think he was the best goalkeeper in the whole category.

"He went to England as a young boy and after a while the pandemic struck. He lived so alone away from his family without knowing the language. He has a great character. Suffice to say that in his third game with us against Juventus U23 he saved a penalty. Leeds made us wait to make him available to us, because they were short of a goalkeeper and wouldn't release him. I remember then that he arrived on a Monday and on the Wednesday we had a friendly. After a day and a half he was already calling everyone by name, because he had studied all his teammates without knowing anyone. That shows his outstanding professionalism,” Turotti said.

Caprile has two years remaining on his Leeds deal and was a Premier League 2 Division 2 champions with the young Whites in 2021.