At the start of this new season, Leeds United had a revamped attack. Last year in the Championship saw their promotion efforts spearheaded by Joel Piroe and Dan James among others.
It was a surprise that Daniel Farke managed to get over 90 goals from the team despite losing three of his best players before the season began. But the replacements played a huge part; Manor Solomon had a huge impact while Piroe finished as top scorer in the league. Dan James was also a major part of the attack as well as Mateo Joseph who played early in the season.
Before the Premier League started, only Piroe and Dan James were left. Farke told Patrick Bamford he was not in his plans, and the striker opted to mutually terminate his deal. Manor Solomon returned to his parent club, and Mateo Joseph was allowed to leave on loan after asking for a transfer.
Leeds United rejected huge offer for first team star
The Spain U21 was reportedly unhappy with his playing time last season; he started the campaign well, playing behind Joel Piroe. But for some reason, Farke benched him in the middle of the campaign. So when he refused to report to pre-season, the club sorted out a loan move. The youngster has been at Mallorca this season, where he has struggled to make an impact.
Per reports, Leeds United rejected £10 million from Real Betis in January 2025. Joseph had always been a highly rated youngster and was coveted by clubs in Spain. His value was highest at the beginning of last season, when he started well in the Championship. But the Whites rejected the bid for the striker, saying he was ‘important’ to the team.
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49ers blew a big opportunity
The 49ers made a huge mistake not allowing the Spain U21 to leave last year. And even though nobody could have predicted what has happened since, everyone can agree it was a terrible decision. Joseph was at his highest value then, and unless the Whites had a proper plan in place, they should have cashed in. Since then, the forward has been in a long run of disappointing form; he has scored just two league goals since arriving in Spain. And this summer, there is almost no chance another club offers a fee in that region. Coming off a poor season, Leeds United will be even lucky if they get half of that £10 million valuation.
| Competition | Games Played | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Liga | 27 | 2 | 2 |
| Copa del Rey | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 28 | 2 | 2 |
