Mateo Joseph pushed hard to leave Leeds United in the last summer transfer window. He didn’t turn up for pre-season training after enjoying an extended break and forced Daniel Farke to push him out of his plans. He eventually joined Spanish side Mallorca on loan.
Leeds were insistent that they were not going to include an option to buy in any loan agreement, which scuppered the Spaniard’s chances of joining Real Betis, who were trying to sign the young striker since the last January transfer window.
Mallorca stepped in and convinced the forward to join them, while agreeing to Leeds’ demands of a simple loan deal with no mechanism to turn it into a permanent deal at the end of the season.
Joseph is yet to score for Mallorca, and a dressing room situation at the club is threatening to sour his return to Spain this season. However, Leeds retain high hopes for the striker in the future.
Can you name these 10 former Leeds United defenders?
Leeds United official reveals Paraag Marathe’s admiration for Mateo Joseph
Leeds managing director Robbie Evans insisted that Joseph needed to be loaned out in the summer as he required more game time to develop as a striker.
However, he stressed that Leeds were clear about not having any option to buy in the agreements, and it was made clear to all his suitors in the last window.
The Whites are hopeful that Joseph does well at Mallorca, and indicated that his return to Elland Road is almost certain, as he is a personal favourite player of chairman Paraag Marathe.
“He needs the minutes, and part of why his loan took as long as it did is that every team that was trying to take him on loan was requiring a buy option”, Evans was quoted as saying by the BBC.
“We simply said there’s no way you’re getting an option on this player.
“Our hope is that he has a phenomenal season at Mallorca and comes back.
“He’s a favourite of the club and the chairman, and so we hope he does great.”
Farke will need to rebuild his relationship with Joseph
Once Joseph decided against returning to Leeds for pre-season training in the summer, the striker became persona non grata for the Leeds manager.
The Spaniard felt that he was not backed properly by Farke, while the German believed that he gave him enough opportunities by identifying him as the team’s number 9 at the start of the 2024/25 Championship campaign.
Leeds hope that a year away from the club will help Joseph, but once he returns next season, and if Farke is still at Elland Road, the two will need to mend their relationship.
They are hopeful that Farke will be open to reintegrating the striker, like he did with Jack Harrison this summer.
Could you just explain the ‘shock’ element in this article as per the headline please? The fact that there is no purchase option for Joseph on this loan deal has been known for weeks! The idea was always for him to get some playing time and come back a better player.