Leeds United seek Joel Piroe upgrade in ‘interesting’ transfer development
Don Goodman believes Leeds United will already likely be looking for a new out-and-out goalscorer ahead of the new season.
Georginio Rutter, Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe were tasked with leading the line at various points in the 2023-24 campaign.
Piroe was often used in a deeper midfield position, however, while Bamford struggled with injuries and Rutter is more of a creator than scorer.
Goodman believes that signing a prolific goalscorer to lead the attack could elevate Leeds to the next level.
“If you could guarantee keeping Patrick Bamford fit, you’d be okay,” he exclusively told MOT Leeds News. “However, his injury record over the past couple of seasons hasn’t been good and you need more reliability.
“Rutter nor Piroe are strong in terms of being pure out-and-out goalscorers. If you want to improve the whole dynamic of the team by a large percentage, then an out-and-out number nine would do that for Leeds.
“So it’ll be interesting to see what they do, and I’d imagine they’ll already now be on the hunt for one.”
Leeds United could do with signing another goalscorer
Leeds did not exactly lack goals last season, with their tally of 81 bettered only by three other sides.
However, when you factor in that two of those sides finished above them – Ipswich Town scored 92 and Leicester City 89 – it becomes more of an issue.
Indeed, the Whites failed to find the net in five of their final eight matches, including the 1-0 play-off final loss to Southampton.
That is not to say Rutter does not still have a role to play, likewise Piroe, but what Daniel Farke would give for a Sammie Szmodics-type player.
There is then the matter of who plays just off him – Rutter or Piroe – while Bamford will also hope his injury issues are now behind him.
The club will no doubt be eyeing up various targets, though, and if another striker is to be brought in, it may be one of those that is left right to the wire.
In other Leeds United news, Goodman believes a triple transfer could be on the cards at Elland Road if a player is sold.
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