Joel Piroe to leave Leeds? Multiple sources assess star’s struggles and share if January exit could be on

Joel Piroe’s tumble down the pecking order at Elland Road has left many questioning if the striker could be allowed to leave Leeds United in the January transfer window, with sources rating those chances and explaining what is next for the Dutch striker.

The 26-year-old was the Championship’s top scorer last season, netting 19 goals across the campaign as Daniel Farke’s side stormed to promotion with a 100-point tally. The Dutchman – an initial £10.9m signing from Swansea in summer 2023- now has a tally of 33 goals in 98 appearances for Leeds United.

Promotion to the Premier League triggered a £2m payment to the Welsh side, taking his total cost to £12.9m.

While described as a “world-class finisher” and the best he has ever worked with recently by Farke, Piroe’s minutes for Leeds this season have been dramatically reduced off the back of the club’s summer recruitment drive.

And with 11-times capped England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin now established as first-choice for the Whites, and with another summer recruit, Lukas Nmecha, the preferred back-up option, Piroe now finds himself third choice in the Leeds pecking order.

As a result, speculation has suggested that Piroe could look to force through a move away from Elland Road in the January window if his situation does not improve and with the player having been restricted to just three appearances – and 147 minutes – of Premier League action so far.

Despite that, we understand Leeds have no desire to part company with Piroe in the January window and expect the player to be needed over the course of the campaign.

The Whites are pleased with how Calvert-Lewin has performed so far but are wary of the fitness issues that dogged his final few years with Everton and the club know they are only one injury away from a potential shortfall.

Nmecha too also arrived at Elland Road with question marks over his fitness and, with Piroe rarely suffering (touch wood) on that front, his chances are expected to arrive over the course of the season.

To that end, the Whites are not expected to part company with the striker in the winter window and Farke’s inclusion of Piroe off the bench last time out against Tottenham are a sure-fire sign of showing the striker that he is still very much needed and appreciated.

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Three other sources assess Joel Piroe’s future at Leeds

While the situation could change were Piroe to look to force an exit and, should Leeds see a quicker path into the first team for Harry Gray – though that seems unlikely given Farke’s stance on the teenager – then the 26-year-old’s situation could still change.

However, after admitting that promotion to the Premier League last season had fulfilled a career-long ambition for Piroe, it would be strange were he to give up on that dream just six months later.

Despite that, the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth admitted he was surprised Piroe did not depart over the summer, sensing that Leeds were seeking better quality and mobility up front for their Premier League campaign.

“You know, by and large, they spent 100 million,” he told the Inside Elland Road podcast.

“I went into the summer thinking they might spend a bit more, but I thought they would sell.

“I thought we’d see the departure of a Gruev or maybe even Piroe. I certainly thought [Illan] Meslier would go.

“The club’s defence, I suppose, to not selling some players will be that fans and people like me, the players that we want them to sell are the players that would probably be hardest to sell.

“You know, you look at Meslier, you think, is a club going to give him the wage that he’s on at Leeds? Given what’s happened over the last two, three seasons, given what happened last season?”

BBC Radio Leeds commentator Adam Pope, however, thinks Piroe has a role to play over the season.

“Daniel Farke says Piroe is the best finisher he has worked with. His effort as a substitute against Tottenham deserved to find the net – but for an excellent save from Guglielmo Vicario, it would have,” Pope began on BBC Sport.

“With two wingers and a robust centre-forward, there is no obvious position for Piroe to start, as the midfield is more powerful and physical than he is. But he is a very important squad player.

“Put it his way, if you were to go and buy last season’s top scorer in the Championship, then it would be a significant purchase. Leeds have him already, and I can see him coming into his own later on in games when a formation change may be required, like we saw against Spurs when he was able to benefit from Calvert-Lewin’s knockdown.

“This also makes sense when trying to profit from the bits and pieces that sometimes come a striker’s way from set-plays later on in matches. Set-pieces are very important and there are significant gains to be made for teams by being efficient at these.”

Speaking with LeedsUnitedNews, transfer journalist Graeme Bailey is refusing to rule out a possible exit for Piroe, though he thinks the move would only be sanctioned were the Whites to bring someone in first.

“It depends what Leeds then bring in. It’s a squad game and they don’t want to be caught short.

“I get that he will want to play more, but how would allowing Piroe to leave benefit Leeds? I guess there’s a chance, but I’d be pretty amazed if he did leave in January.”

But players want to play, and Bailey admitted as much regarding Piroe’s entourage, saying: “Clearly, his agent is going to be talking to clubs now and working on it [if his position in the pecking order doesn’t change].

“Let’s see what happens. He clearly wants to be playing, as most players do.”

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Another Whites star far from happy with his limited minutes right now is Ao Tanaka, with the Japan star revealing his annoyance at dropping down to the substitutes bench in recent weeks and having admitted he has parts of his game he needs to improve on in a bid to catch Farke’s eye.

Meanwhile, two sources have underlined the ‘strong bond’ Farke shares with owners, 49ers Enterprises, amid unwelcome speculation that they could consider his future as Leeds manager in the wake of the upheaval currently being witnessed at sister club, Glasgow Rangers.

Elsewhere, Farke will be hoping to keep one summer signing in his good books, with a vast majority of Leeds supporters now calling on the manager to axe an ever-present this season and bring in an £18m capture who is busting a gut to prove himself after a frustrating season so far.

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