The Lucas Perri soap opera is definitely far from having delivered its last episode. While Torino seemed to have won the battle against OM after several weeks of discussions, the matter has still not had its official outcome. The Italian club had, however, taken a considerable lead, with an agreement reached with Leeds and the Brazilian goalkeeper several weeks ago, before returning to the charge to definitively secure his arrival. The latest exchanges with the entourage of the former OL goalkeeper had notably enabled Torino to surpass the competition from Marseille and to move the operation forward very concretely. OM had tried to get back into the race, but everything indicated that the Toro had succeeded in their operation and were going to welcome Perri to strengthen their goalkeeping sector.
The Turin club had even agreed to revise its offer upwards to convince everyone. As we revealed to you exclusively, the proposal now provides for a purchase option of 14 million euros as well as an optional fourth year, proof of the desire displayed by Torino to finalize the file. Lucas Perri was expected in Italy to undergo his medical examination before an official announcement scheduled for the start of the week. On paper, all the lights seemed green and OM seemed to have lost the game. However, a transfer is never completely certain until the player has passed his medical examination and the documents have been signed. And in the case of Lucas Perri, this last step today takes on considerable importance given his physical situation. Because if Torino remains the most likely destination, a hiccup is now possible and could reopen, however slim, a window for Marseille.
OM may still have a tiny chance
According to our information, Torino has indeed formulated a real offer for Lucas Perri and the file therefore remains very advanced, but the Italian club now has questions about the advisability of spending so much on a goalkeeper whose physical condition still gives rise to reservations. It is precisely this doubt which partly explains why the formalization was delayed and why the medical examination could not ultimately be organized as planned. Perri had come to Italy this week, but Torino blocked his medical examination, a first in this case. The Brazilian has since returned to England and even appeared on the scoresheet for Leeds against Nottingham this Saturday, on the bench, while his future seemed to be written in Italy. This setback is not trivial and Torino now wants to see the young Diego Mascardi, recently recruited, in action, and his match scheduled against AC Milan on Sunday, could weigh heavily in the final decision. If the young goalkeeper performs convincingly, Turin management could wonder if the investment made for Perri is really essential and call the operation into question.
This is where OM can still maintain a tiny glimmer of hope. Marseille had been overtaken in the race after Torino’s latest contacts with Perri’s entourage and seemed to have to watch the Brazilian goalkeeper join Italy. But the lack of formalization and especially the new questions from Torino change the situation slightly. The Italian club has not yet definitively given up, but it now wants to be certain of its choice and could decide to change everything after Mascardi’s first match. A good performance from the young goalkeeper against Milan could thus provoke a new twist and push Toro to cancel the Perri deal despite the agreement reached. For OM, it is therefore obviously not a question of a reopened file nor of an arrival which is approaching, but simply of a tiny possibility which still exists. After seeing Torino pass in front of them, Marseille can now wait for a possible Italian misstep to attempt a final offensive.
