Leeds United smashed Augsburg 4-0 on Saturday to complete their pre-season program in style and will now prepare for their opening Premier League game against Nottingham Forest next weekend.
However, the focus remains on reshaping their squad before the end of the transfer window, and Leeds are looking to strengthen certain areas.
Leeds have an agreement in place to sign centre-back Nico Elvedi from Borussia Monchengladbach, with Sebastiaan Bornauw set to leave the Whites to join Hamburg this summer.
The Yorkshire giants are also looking to bring in a striker. However, they cannot bring in a new forward until they resolve Joel Piroe’s future at Elland Road this summer.
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Leeds United star wants to leave
The Whites still have a lot to do before the end of the transfer window despite Daniel Farke’s focus shifting to the first game of the season at the City Ground next week.
A striker is on their priority list, but they need to find a solution for Joel Piroe, who fell out of favour last season in the Premier League.
According to The Athletic, the striker is also prepared to leave Leeds and is keen to move on from Elland Road before the window closes.
A few clubs, including La Liga club Alaves, have made enquiries into signing the striker this summer, but negotiations have not advanced due to Leeds’ demands.
The Whites have set an asking price of £16m, and no club have gone close to matching that fee for a striker who hardly played last season.
Leeds’ representatives insist that the club will have to compromise on the price if they want to sell the forward before the end of the window.
A new meeting took place between Leeds and Piroe’s agent, and there is an expectation that Leeds could be open to a compromise or even agree to a loan with an obligation to buy.
In a statement, Theo Roebbers, Piroe’s agent, insisted that if Leeds do not agree to compromise on their demands, then the club “need never call me again”.
Joel Piroe needs to leave Leeds
Joel Piroe ended the 2024/25 season as the Championship’s top scorer and played a huge part in Leeds United’s promotion campaign.
However, Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s arrival last summer quickly pushed him down the pecking order, and regular playing time became difficult to find at Elland Road.
Piroe effectively found himself fourth in the striker hierarchy despite Leeds not having four natural centre-forwards, making it clear that Daniel Farke did not view him as someone capable of leading the line in the Premier League.
The Leeds boss has always recognised Piroe’s ability in front of goal, but he has also pointed to the forward’s lack of mobility and physicality as potential limitations at the highest level.
With Leeds still looking to bring in another striker this summer, Piroe’s time at Elland Road now appears to be coming to an end.
Cant believe so many issues getting transfers over the line, no extra Gk, Lb, Mf, and St, yet we look at buying Elvedi and selling Sebastiaan Bornauw, who has done nothing wrong? Piroe needs to go if thats whats holding back on a striker, and now Tanaka West Ham link, but concerns are the quality if players is dropping off, looks again, we will run out of time again, need gone: Perri, Piroe, Bornauw? Tanaka? Dont spoil whats already been improved?
A slimey agent making demands
We won’t phone you again see ya!!!!!
Whatever Theo, take your not quite good enuffs with you, fat the price we set of course.
It is obvious that Leeds have to drop their demands for a player that everyone knows is surplus to requirements. Just do that and move on with all the other priorities. Time is running out.