Lucas Perri is back in English soccer. This time, he’s coming to play. Leeds United, freshly promoted to the Premier League, has signed the goalkeeper from Lyon for €23 million. The deal was made official on Saturday. At 27, the Brazilian is set to join the Leeds squad in Germany, where the team is currently in preseason training.
Leeds won the Championship last season and returns to the top flight after three years. Perri still had three years left on his contract with Lyon, but negotiations moved quickly. He played 49 matches over two seasons with the French club. Now, he’s expected to compete for a starting spot and become one of the trusted options in the English side’s roster.
No payout for Botafogo
The transfer drew attention not only for the price tag but also for something that didn’t sit well in Brazilian soccer circles. Botafogo, the club that previously transferred Lucas Perri to Lyon, won’t receive any share of the Leeds deal. Based on the original agreement, there was an expectation of future compensation. But that payout isn’t happening.
According to Brazilian media, the original transfer to Lyon included a clause allowing the French club to buy the remaining 50% of Perri’s rights for an additional €3.25 million — which they did in recent weeks.
This isn’t Perri’s first time in English soccer. In 2019, he was loaned from São Paulo to Crystal Palace. Back then, he didn’t make any official appearances. Now, the return looks very different: he’s been sold outright to a club that just secured promotion to the Premier League.
A move that stirs the market
Lucas Perri’s signing has made waves across the European market, largely because of the amount involved. For Leeds, it’s a calculated bet on a player who had a solid run with Lyon, even if he didn’t gain major international recognition. For Lyon, it’s a meaningful sale. For Botafogo, though, the news leaves a bitter aftertaste.
With no sell-on percentage, no training compensation, and no clauses triggered, the Brazilian club won’t see any financial benefit from the transfer. All that remains is the fact they once sold him.
The situation highlights just how important it is for clubs to structure player sales carefully. Cases like this show how poorly defined or limited clauses can prevent clubs that developed players from receiving a share of future deals. Despite Perri’s rise in value, Botafogo will get nothing in return.