Daniel Farke wowed by Leeds United ace Mateo Joseph after what he’s seen in pre-season
Daniel Farke says he can trust Leeds United ace Mateo Joseph to lead his line this season based on his current form.
Joseph, 20, is set to have a season of involvement during the 2024/25 term as Leeds look to fight for Premier League promotion once again.
And, speaking to Leeds Live (26 July), Farke has admitted that Joseph has been “impressive” throughout their German pre-season camp.
“If I have to judge it right now, then definitely because his pre-season is quite impressive. I’ve liked all the three games he has played,” Farke said.
“He was involved with goals and chipped in, not just with goals, also his maturity and also his workload. He came back out of a little break, on holiday, then he had a top, fit shape and this is the basement.
“You could really tell, from the first day, he has even used the break to bring himself into a better shape and this is always a basement, especially for young players because we have competition.
“It’s good for his confidence if he delivers like this and he’s definitely on a really good path, yes.”
Mateo Joseph could be key to Leeds United Premier League hopes this season
Before pre-season even started, it was clear that Farke saw Joseph in Leeds’ future.
That’s because Spain wanted to call the youngster up to represent his country at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
However, the West Yorkshire outfit denied this request [Joe Donnohue, 17 June] and preferred him to stay with the club and stake his claim for a starting spot.
Indeed, Leeds do have the likes of Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe within their ranks but the former is very injury prone [Graham Smyth, 25 July] whilst the latter failed to find the same form he showed whilst with Swansea.
There’s no doubt that if fit, Bamford will be used as the club’s first-choice striker, however, due to his rather tarnished history with injuries, he’s not someone Leeds can rely upon week in and week out.
This season could be a defining moment for the 20-year-olds career and, if he managed to make enough of an impact, he could even find himself leading the line of a Premier League team during the 2025/26 campaign.
In other Leeds news, Graham Smyth has shared what he thinks Red Bull should have done with the new Leeds United away kit.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.