Leeds loanee Lucas Perri under pressure after costly Torino errors

Lucas Perri’s start at Torino has come under scrutiny after the Leeds United loanee made costly mistakes during his opening appearances in Italy.

Torino worked extensively to secure the 28-year-old during the summer transfer window, eventually agreeing a loan deal containing a €16million option to buy.

The Italian club had initially proposed an option worth around €10m, but Leeds were able to use interest from Marseille to strengthen their negotiating position and secure more favourable terms.

Perri wanted the Torino move, but his opening performances have not gone entirely according to plan.

Torino outlet Toro has described the goalkeeper’s early performances as being like “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” because of the contrast between his impressive saves and costly errors.

Perri demonstrated his ability during his Serie A debut against Fiorentina, producing good saves at different stages of the match.

However, he was responsible for Mateo Pellegrino’s second-half goal.

The striker's effort from outside the penalty area slipped underneath Perri’s arms when the Brazilian should have kept it out.

His teammates quickly consoled him and Torino eventually recovered to secure a 2-1 victory, but it was not Perri's first significant mistake.

Perri was also blamed for the goal Torino conceded against Monza in the Coppa Italia.

He failed to properly deal with Dany Mota’s effort as Torino were eliminated from the competition.

Two mistakes in his opening matches have therefore created early uncertainty around a goalkeeper Torino worked hard to sign.

The Italian club now want to see what Toro describes as the “real” Perri, with the Brazilian expected to demonstrate the consistency required to establish himself in Serie A.

There are, however, mitigating circumstances.

Perri has previously revealed that he and his family are still living in a hotel while searching for a permanent home in Turin.

He is also learning Italian and attempting to settle into a completely new environment following his departure from Leeds.

The lengthy negotiations surrounding his transfer may also have affected his preparations.

Most importantly, Torino still view Perri as their first-choice goalkeeper. That should give him the opportunity and playing time required to recover from his difficult opening weeks.

Leeds, meanwhile, have a clear reason to follow his progress closely.

If Perri performs well enough to convince Torino to activate their €16m purchase option, his temporary departure from Elland Road could eventually become a lucrative permanent transfer.

The immediate priority for Perri is consistency.

Torino have invested considerable effort in bringing him to Italy and appear prepared to give him the opportunity to establish himself despite his early mistakes.

Settling into a permanent home, learning Italian and developing stronger communication with his defenders should help.

For Leeds, the situation has financial significance. A strong season could persuade Torino to activate the €16m option, while continued errors would inevitably create doubts about making the transfer permanent.

The next few Serie A appearances should therefore provide a clearer indication of whether Perri’s difficult opening represents nothing more than early adaptation problems or a genuine concern for Torino.