Leeds United striker Joel Piroe may have fired the club to Championship glory, but reports suggest he will not be central to their plans in the Premier League next season.
The Dutch forward ended the 2024–25 campaign as the Championship’s top scorer with 19 goals, helping Leeds lift the title ahead of rivals Burnley.
However, despite his success, club sources have reportedly told Football Insider that manager Daniel Farke and the board are not convinced by Piroe’s suitability at Premier League level.
Top scorer faces uncertain future at Elland Road
Piroe joined the Whites from Swansea City in 2023 for a fee in excess of £10 million and has been a consistent performer since. In total, he has scored 33 goals and contributed 10 assists in 97 appearances for the club across all competitions.
With three years remaining on his contract until June 2027, the 24-year-old still has time to fight for his place. But as Leeds prepare for life back in the top flight, the club is understood to be eyeing new attacking options, with Piroe unlikely to be Farke’s first-choice striker moving forward.
While Piroe has featured in 71 of his 97 games as a starter and accumulated over 6,200 minutes of game time, there are doubts over whether his physicality and style will translate effectively to the Premier League.
Joel Piroe Career
Piroe began his career in the Netherlands with NEC before joining Feyenoord and later PSV, where he turned professional in 2016. After a loan at Sparta Rotterdam, he moved to Swansea City in 2021, scoring on his debut. Piroe joined Leeds United in August 2023 for a fee believed to exceed £10 million. He made an instant impact, scoring on his debut, and hit four goals in one game against Stoke City to help secure Premier League promotion in 2025..
Amid the reshuffle, chairman Paraag Marathe has confirmed that Daniel Farke will remain as manager, ending speculation over his future and providing stability ahead of what is likely to be a busy summer at Elland Road.
Writer’s View
Joel Piroe’s situation highlights the brutal transition from Championship hero to Premier League uncertainty. Despite being Leeds’ top scorer and an instrumental figure in their title-winning campaign, his style may not align with the club’s top-flight ambitions.
Still only 24, he may yet prove his doubters wrong, but Leeds’ pursuit of reinforcements signals a squad evolution—and Piroe could find himself on the periphery unless he adapts quickly.
