Leeds could sign “unbelievable” Piroe replacement for absolutely nothing from a premier league club
With their added Red Bull millions no doubt helping when it comes to the upcoming summer transfer window, Leeds United fans can be equally as excited about incomings at Elland Road as they will be anxious about a number of key players uprooting.
Daniel Farke and Co won’t just allow the star-studded squad that was agonisingly close to a promotion back up to the Premier League to be gutted with no replacements drafted up, eager to go one better next season and use this heartbreak as fuel to jump back up to the top-flight at the second time of asking.
That will be easier said than done, however, as the Championship is an unpredictable league at the best of times – just ask Kieran McKenna and Ipswich Town, who achieved back-to-back promotions and denied Leeds a more leisurely way back up a division.
Still, with a number of names being circulated as potential incomings, Leeds could take the division by storm regardless of any hangover from last season lingering, with a shrewd free transfer being lined up.
Leeds’ transfer latest
A whole host of names are being linked with a switch to West Yorkshire this summer, as Farke prepares to fill the squad with some much-needed talent, ahead of a potential mass exodus still taking place.
Leeds have been linked with the likes of Stuttgart winger Silas Katompa Mvumpa, West Ham United defender Ben Johnson and Sheffield United striker Daniel Jebbison to name just a few, with a new name being tipped for a switch to Elland Road catching the eye as well.
Long-standing Fulham servant Bobby Decordova-Reid is a new rumoured face Farke wants ahead of somewhat of a rebuild, with TEAMTalk stating that the Cottagers attacking midfielder will not be putting pen to paper on a new deal to stick it out with Marco Silva’s men, after talks had collapsed.
Everton are also known to be an interested party, according to TEAMTalk, which could make Leeds’ pursuit more difficult, considering the Toffees are in the Premier League whilst the Whites languish in the division below to their continued despair.
Fulham will be gutted to see the back of Reid, who had become part of the furniture at Craven Cottage with 209 appearances notched up, but their loss could well end being Leeds’ gain, with the experienced 31-year-old a goalscoring threat in the Championship previously in his career.
Pushed out to the flanks by Silva when given chances last season, which hasn’t actually seen his output dry up based on the table above, the Jamaica international has excelled in the division below when played in a more central attacking midfield position, where he could oust Joel Piroe from the line-up in the process.
He would even give Georginio Rutter a run for his money in the number ten role too, with the Frenchman and the Dutchman interchangeable in this slot as well as in the lone striker position, whilst also competing with the ex-Swansea City man up top, who really struggled towards the back-end of the Championship campaign to excite Leeds fans.
Joel Piroe’s struggles for Leeds
As much as Piroe did finish the campaign with a respectable 13-goal tally next to his name, the 6 foot 1 forward really didn’t impose himself into major contests for Farke’s promotion challengers, notably the Championship play-off final just passing him by.
The lacklustre 24-year-old would fail to register a single shot on Alex McCarthy’s net in the soul-destroying 1-0 defeat to Southampton, who won promotion courtesy of having a more lethal attacker in their ranks in Adam Armstrong, with Farke potentially having lost all faith in the Dutchman consequently ahead of a new season coming into view.
He could be ditched for good with this latest development involving a potential free transfer of Reid, who has managed to net 43 EFL goals across his career, with 23 of those coming in the Championship from an attacking midfield spot for the Cottagers.
Piroe largely played in this number ten role for Farke’s men this season just gone, away from being handed lone striker duties for the crunch clash at Wembley, with eight goals and one assist coming his way from this position on the pitch.
Looking at the table above, Reid was far more effective going forward than his ex-Swans counterpart in certain areas when last competing in the second tier, finishing the season with a better goal-conversion percentage than Piroe, on top of creating seven more big chances overall.
Reid’s adaptability will also make the 31-year-old an even more worthwhile asset worth exploring, having predominantly played down the left wing this season just gone, alongside being capable of playing anywhere across the midfield if necessary for his team.
Leeds will hope they can get the best out of Reid in that number ten position, pushing Rutter all the way in the process, having bagged a career-best tally of 19 strikes playing here for Bristol City during the 2017-18 campaign.
Piroe’s future at Leeds
Reid’s signature being confirmed down the line could signal the end of Piroe in a Leeds shirt, when you consider Reid’s 43 EFL goal total is only nine off Piroe’s total, and his flexibility to fill in gaps could make him an important cog for Farke to rely upon.
Leeds would attempt to recoup some of the £12m they paid to land the 24-year-old for, however, with Reid also acting as a cheap upgrade, instead of the Whites casually burning more money.
With two promotions up to the Premier League on his glittering resume also, Reid could be the missing piece of the jigsaw – who was once referred to as “unbelievable” by ex-Fulham boss Scott Parker – from Farke’s perspective to mount another challenge at promotion.
Leeds will want to instantly exorcise the demons of Wembley regardless of who does and doesn’t line up for them next campaign, returning back to where they feel like they belong, instead of making do with the second tier.
