Leeds United bid for £15million Joel Piroe from Swansea City with ‘huge’ contract required
Leeds United are bidding for Swansea City striker Joel Piroe and are “willing to pay around £15million” to land him, according to Alan Nixon.
The Sun journalist reported via Patreon on Wednesday morning (23 August) that the Dutchman is looking for a “huge wage” and a signing on fee since he could command a “fortune” as a free agent next summer, but the Whites are “desperate” to land him.
A “massive contract” is on the cards because personal terms are considered to be the difficult part, with the Swans tipped to accept after rejecting other offers.
Plenty of clubs have been linked to Piroe, 24, this summer but others have reportedly “walked away” thanks to the cost involved.
Huge move
On paper this has the potential to be a major turning point in the summer transfer window, and arguably the whole season at Leeds United.
Piroe has demonstrated beyond doubt that he has what it takes to score at this level, having netted 46 times for Swansea since arriving from the Eredivisie two summers ago.
He is clearly going to be expensive but when a possible promotion back to the Premier League is at stake that perhaps puts the cost into perspective.
Patrick Bamford remains the de facto number one striker at Elland Road despite numerous injury issues in the past two years, and is currently out again.
A real alternative has been neglected for a succession of transfer windows but looks unavoidable now with Daniel Farke unable to start a specialist number nine so far this season.
The window has been a galling series of departures from Elland Road for the most part this summer, but with some money finally brought in via the sale of Tyler Adams to Bournemouth it looks like the club are looking to spend in the final week.
Glen Kamara is on the cards as a senior option in central midfield, but if a deal for Piroe can be done it would become the headline arrival of the club’s transfer business.
In other Leeds United news, a Premier League player is also wanted after an argument at his current club has put him on the outs.