Leeds United ‘keen admirers’ ahead of transfer deadline as Joel Piroe contract rumours at Swansea City dismissed
Leeds United remain “keen admirers” of Joel Piroe as “rumours” of a new contract for the Swansea City man appear unfounded, according to Wales Online.
The outlet reported on their website Tuesday (22 August) that suggestions of a two-year extension had sent Swans fans “into overdrive” at the weekend, but “contrary to those rumours on social media” there appears to have been no breakthrough in talks, nor “any indication Piroe would even be interested in signing”.
The £15m-rated Dutchman has been attracting widespread interest, but Wales Online suggest that Atalanta are now out of the race after signing Gianluca Scamacca from West Ham, while Leicester have “seemingly cooled their interest” as well, but despite this Piroe still looks set to stay “unless the landscape shifts dramatically”.
The Whites and Southampton have both been tipped as still in competition for the 24-year-old, although both are also interested in Aston Villa’s Cameron Archer as an alternative.
Pros and cons
If Leeds United haven’t been able to get a deal done for Piroe so far then a new contract at Swansea would surely have ended any prospect of one.
So from an Elland Road point of view it is a positive that the suggestions he was about to do so appear to have been wide of the mark.
But with under a fortnight left of the transfer window it will come as a disappointment that it looks like a move away seems to become less likely, barring a significant change.
Daniel Farke needs somebody up top before the deadline, since even when Patrick Bamford and Mateo Joseph are back from their current injury lay-offs few would bet against the former being struck down by another one, while it would be foolish to expect a teenager with six senior appearances to carry the load for an entire Championship season.
The manager has so far started a combination of Willy Gnonto, Joe Gelhardt and Georginio Rutter as a central striker out of necessity, despite none being naturally suited to that position.
Rodrigo was the club’s top scorer last season and is now long gone, while Gelhardt and the injured Crysencio Summerville are the only attacking players to find the net so far this season.
The transfer budget has been hamstrung by cheap loan exits but Tyler Adams has now been sold for over £20m, so if there is enough left over to bring in some more inexpensive reinforcements a bid to Swansea with most of that might be the major change that gets a deal done in the time remaining.
In other Leeds United news, money is about to be spent on strengthening an area of the team in major need of help.