Italian goalkeeper Elia Caprile has revealed that he eagerly seized the opportunity to join Leeds United early in his career, even though his time at Elland Road didn’t pan out as hoped.
In an interview with Sport Week, relayed by Mondo Napoli and La Lazio Siamo Noi, Caprile discussed his stint at Leeds and his experience working under Marcelo Bielsa.
Caprile began his career at Chievo, progressing to the U19 team before moving to Leeds in January 2020. Despite spending a year at Elland Road, he never made a first-team appearance, instead featuring 19 times for the U21 team before being loaned out to Pro Patria.
In July 2022, Caprile was sold to Bari for €1.75m. He has since enjoyed a steady rise, impressing during his time at Bari before joining Napoli, who have loaned him to Empoli for the current season.
Reflecting on his decision to join Leeds, Caprile acknowledged that it was driven by uncertainty in his career at the time. “Leeds? At Chievo, I was never given a professional contract,” he said. “I didn’t expect the moon, just enough to support myself. Some important clubs had also looked for me, from which Chievo had asked for large sums. At that point, with my agents, I jumped at the possibility of moving to Leeds.”
Although Caprile never broke into the first team, he valued his experience under Marcelo Bielsa. The Argentine coach, who led Leeds back to the Premier League that year, is revered for his transformative impact on the club, fostering an attacking style of football that revived the fanbase and ended a 16-year absence from the top flight.
Bielsa is known for his demanding training sessions, something Caprile experienced firsthand. “I happened to start training at half past ten in the morning and eat at three in the afternoon because he doesn’t let you off the field until the technical drills are performed to perfection. The result is that, in the match, the team played with disarming fluency, by heart,” he added.
Caprile’s journey since leaving Leeds has been upward. After his stint with Bari, his consistent performances earned him a move to Napoli, demonstrating his growth and resilience in his career.
