The Italian returned after final battle with the priest (3)
I believe the answer is:
eli
'the priest' is the definition.
(biblical figure)
'the italian returned after final battle' is the wordplay.
'the italian' becomes 'il' ('the' in Italian).
'returned' is a reversal indicator.
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'final' indicates one should take the final letters.
The last letter of 'battle' is 'e'.
'il' written backwards gives 'li'.
'li' after 'e' is 'ELI'.
'with' is the link.
(Other definitions for eli that I've seen before include "Biblical teacher of Samuel" , "patriarch" , "High priest in the Book of Samuel" , "Priest at Shiloh (Samuel)" , "- Wallach, US actor" .)