Last summer saw Leeds United lose some of their best young talents. This transfer window could see a repeat, with clubs already circling.
Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville grabbed all the headlines last season. One was from the academy, and the other was produced through the ranks. Pascal Struijk also emerged as a leader, and eventually became club captain.
Last year also saw the emergence of Mateo Joseph. The youngster announced himself, and became a very good rotational player this season. And it looks like the club may lose him to big clubs soon.
QUIZ: Can you name the team Leeds United sold these players to?
Leeds United may lose key player
Credit: Imago Images
This summer, clubs have already made approaches for Mateo Joseph, but there have been no official bids yet. Real Betis continue to hold their interest from the January transfer window. Strasbourg are also keen on adding the youngster to their squad as they prepare for Europe next season.
Mateo Joseph is still at Leeds, and is currently preparing for the U21 Euros. Speaking to El Mundo, he reflected on last season, where he lost his place in the starting lineup.
“There was a change, the other striker started to play, and you know that in the end, this comes in waves.
“I’m also in favour of him [Piroe] continuing to play. I started playing quite a bit and then went from everything to nothing.
“It was a blow, and that was coming off the back of last year, which was also very tough. It’s important to invest in yourself to get the best out of yourself, and I try to rely on all the tools available to us.”
The 21-year old still managed three goals and three assists in the Championship this past season.
It may be the right time for Mateo Joseph to go
Last season, Joseph made just 11 league starts and played 1,285 minutes. That is the equivalent of around 14 games of football. Even though Joel Piroe and Brenden Aaronson had very rough patches, Daniel Farke rarely called upon the youngster.
This does not bode well ahead of next season, where new arrivals would mean less playing time for Mateo Joseph. Finding a path out of Elland Road may be the best decision for his career; and Leeds will benefit from earning profit on the transfer deal.
