Leeds United behind Leicester City and Southampton in race for Swansea City striker Joel Piroe – Ben Jacobs
Both relegated rivals Leicester City and Southampton are currently more prominently in the race to sign Joel Piroe than Leeds United, according to Ben Jacobs.
The Dutch forward is in demand after scoring 41 Championship goals in two seasons for Swansea City, and with just a year left on his contract he looks to be on the move sooner rather than later, especially after the signing of Jerry Yates from Blackpool.
Swansea are still demanding £15million and despite another injury to Patrick Bamford over the weekend Jacobs doesn’t believe the Whites are advanced in proceedings to sign him this summer.
The CBS journalist told GIVEMESPORT: “He could be a really good signing. He is obviously playing in pre-season at the moment and Swansea’s asking price is relatively high.
“It’s going to be difficult for anybody to pull off a deal at value. At the moment, I think that Leeds are not necessarily the one to watch compared to the likes of Leicester and Southampton, who have looked.
“Away from English football, there’s been some interest from Nice as well. But nothing is necessarily imminent at this point.”
Disappointing
Even allowing for the fact that Daniel Farke has various requirements in the remaining weeks of the transfer window, having been set back by his own late arrival and the delayed 49ers takeover, the striker situation might be putting fans on edge.
The old story of Bamford, 30 on 5 September, being the only senior number nine at the club and his body increasingly breaking down yet no real alternatives coming in, is so familiar it is practically a Leeds United cliché.
Joe Gelhardt and Georginio Rutter both seem better suited off a central striker, and the Frenchman also picked up a knock against Hearts on Sunday (30 July).
Farke said neither of the injuries were serious and wouldn’t change his transfer plans [Yorkshire Post, 31 July], but surely those plans need to already include a forward.
Last season’s top scorer Rodrigo has been sold to Al Rayyan in Qatar, while Bamford’s availability is always in question these days and he is apparently ready to leave.
The transfer budget is nowhere near as great as hoped with all the loan exits bringing in very little income, so the fee for Piroe might be too much, but as a proven Championship goalscorer it seems a no-brainer that the Whites should at least investigate fully.
It would be a blow to see him picked up by either of the club’s former Premier League rivals as they are both expected to be major competition for promotion.
But even if he is too expensive it would be a disappointment to go without a striker altogether for yet another window, with Mateo Joseph highly-rated but unproven.
In other Leeds United news, a Whites ace has broken his silence over leaving the club amid upset among supporters.