How Leeds responded to Celtic’s response for Joel Piroe amid Rangers connections
Leeds United have made their feelings clear after Celtic moved to sign Joel Piroe.
Piroe could be on his way out of Leeds this winter after playing a bit-part role under Daniel Farke in the Premier League this season.
The Dutchman hasn’t been helped by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s excellent form for Leeds and his combination with both Lukas Nmecha and Brenden Aaronson.
Middlesbrough have shown interest in Piroe, but no deal has been made with two weeks remaining in the January transfer window.
Celtic have also made a move to sign Piroe, but with the Whites’ connections to Rangers, it came as a surprise to the LS11 outfit.
Leeds United won’t entertain Celtic’s approach for Joel Piroe
Piroe is seemingly a target for Celtic as the Hoops look to turn their season around after a shocking first half of the year.
Martin O’Neill has returned to replace Wilfried Nancy and has managed to instil some sort of positivity at Parkhead.
The Northern Irishman has moved to add attacking quality to his side, with Piroe emerging as a loan target in January.
Talks got underway last week as Anthony Joseph reported that a decision was expected from the Whites, but complications emerged due to links with Rangers.
The 49ers have shares in both Leeds and the Gers, so it is no surprise that Celtic’s move for the forward was “a non-starter”.
The Sky Sports journalist reported on Monday that the Whites were surprised by the approach for Piroe and decided against progressing with a deal.
Rangers may now take Piroe on loan from Leeds
There is currently no evidence that the ex-Swansea City man wants to leave Yorkshire, but if he does, the Scottish Premiership could still be an option.
The Leeds hierarchy doesn’t want one of their players to play for Celtic, but their link with Rangers could open the door to an Ibrox switch.
The 49ers have a 51 per cent stake in the Govan outfit, so a move from Elland Road to Glasgow could be entirely possible and easy to organise.
The decision will ultimately come down to Piroe, but if he wants more game time and chances to score goals, Scotland could be an ideal option.
Stay up to date this winter with our Leeds transfer tracker. Click to see every done deal at Elland Road, plus expert reaction from our team of writers.