Leeds United boss Daniel Farke made a lot of things clear during the team’s training camp. The major theme was that players that did not make the trip to Germany were not in the plans for the upcoming season.
It all began with the shock news that Patrick Bamford was not in Farke’s plans for this season. He had been left in England to play with the Leeds U21s. Another shocking decision that was taken was the re-introduction of Jack Harrison into the team.
The winger had spent the last two years out on loan, and his return was met with a hostile reception. Harrison was booed in the last pre-season game against AC Milan.
QUIZ: Can you name these 10 former Leeds United defenders?
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Mateo Joseph says Mallorca coach played a big part in his decision
Mateo Joseph
Credit: Imago Images
Another player who found himself out of Farke’s plans was Mateo Joseph. The youngster refused to report to training camp after asking for a transfer. He made it clear that he wanted a way out after last season. Leeds were able to sort out a loan move to Mallorca this summer.
Now, Joseph has revealed that a big reason for his decision is his former manager Jagoba Arrasate who is now head coach of Mallorca.
“The conversation with the coach was crucial for me. When someone is so clear and has so much confidence in you, you want to repay that confidence with hard work. That was a trigger,” he said speaking to Spanish outlet Cope.
The forward has high expectations for this campaign.
“This is going to take a lot of turns. We’ll see this year. Right now, I’m delighted here with the training ground, the city, the training, the people, who are incredible. We’ll see.”
Forward left Leeds United for playing time
The comments about trust and confidence seem to be a light jab at what he experienced last season. After a promising start to the campaign, Joseph found himself on the bench for most of 2025. During the U21 European Championships this summer, the forward said his aim for the upcoming season was to play more.
And that played a part in why he asked for a move, probably seeing that he could play less minutes in the Premier League.
