Daniel Farke shares January transfer worry over Leeds United gem Mateo Joseph
Leeds United starlet Mateo Joseph’s “top” form this season has sparked a worry ahead of the January transfer window, Daniel Farke has said.
Speaking in his press conference prior to facing Norwich City (30 September), Farke highlighted Joseph’s all-round play so far in his first full Championship season as United’s starting number nine.
Joseph has started all seven of the Whites’ league games this campaign, and despite only scoring once, Farke added that if he had netted more often, plenty of teams would be sniffing around in January.
Farke said: “I’m happy that I have Mateo, and happy with the workload, and the goals will come – he’s so greedy to score.
“You have to keep in mind – it’s still more or less his first season where he’s playing and starting the games, and for a club with such a heavy shirt it’s also not that easy sometimes.
“If he would be there next to his top performances already with seven, eight, nine goals under our belt, I would be even more worried about January, if I’m honest.”
Leeds United have to keep Mateo Joseph in January
A summer of upheaval and squad churn at Elland Road finally looks to be bearing fruit, after the Whites produced their most convincing performance of the season so far to rout Coventry City 3-0 at home.
While Joseph didn’t get on the scoresheet – and substitute Joel Piroe did for the third time in four games – the Spaniard’s all-round play means that he’ll remain a shoe-in up front, for the time being at least.
The striker, still only 20-years-old, has shot to the top of the billing in Farke’s centre-forward ranks, combining Patrick Bamford’s fantastic build-up play with the domineering presence of Piroe in the box.
Although his finishing ability isn’t quite yet at the standard of Piroe’s – few strikers in the Championship have that luxury – Farke is spot on in his view that the goals will come for Joseph sooner rather than later.
With injuries starting to mount in other areas of the pitch, the club will do everything in their power to keep the squad together come January – and that will include the young striker who is fast-becoming a key cog in Farke’s Elland Road machine.
In other Leeds United news, a former Whites superstar has sent a message on social media to one of Daniel Farke’s key players.
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