Leeds United are heading for the new season with a new goalkeeper - who himself has hailed an “incredible” new teammate.
New Leeds United keeper Lucas Perri has hailed the impact of a key figure’s call on his move to the Whites - where the Brazilian is already seeing an “incredible” fellow new arrival strut his stuff.
Perri conceded his first goal in Leeds colours in the 31st minute as Santiago Gimenez fired Milan in front but Leeds equalised midway through the second-half through a superb strike from fellow new signing Anton Stach - a player hailed as “incredible” by the club’s new keeper.
Beaming at his move to Elland Road, the new shot-stopper has also served up huge praise for boss Daniel Farke who the Brazilian says played a key role in filling him with confidence for the move to Elland Road.
“It was important to feel his confidence and leadership”
“It was really important,” said Perri, asked how influential Farke was in his Whites move.
“Before I arrived in Germany for pre-season he called me and spoke with me like what he expects from me, what I need to do better, why they chose to sign me - so that was important.
“It was important to feel his confidence and leadership. It was very important."
Explaining now too the help of goalkeeping coach Ed Wootten, Perri said: “He's helping me a lot. He's a very, very good person, a very good goalkeeping coach so he's helping me with English football, what they expect from me, from a goalkeeper perspective and a group player perspective. This is helping me a lot and I have a lot of work to do.”
Wotton has a new keeper to work with and one with his own unique traits - including his famous long throws.
“Incredible player”
Explaining the origins of that tactic, Perri revealed: “I’ve always liked to throw since I was a very young age. But I think things like the goalkeeper coach that I had in Botafogo two years ago, I used to do this a lot in the trainings but not so much in the games. He was like really encouraging me that I should start to do this in the games.
"Once I started to recognise the patterns of what works and what does not work I started to do this.”
It was, though, one player’s one moment of particular brilliance at the other end of the pitch that grabbed the headlines on Perri’s AC Milan debut - and the keeper hopes Stach’s stunner is just the start of what’s to come.
"Incredible player,” said the Brazilian.
“He scored an incredible goal. I hope he does this during the season."
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