Daniel Farke drops Joel Piroe update at Leeds after Rangers, Birmingham & Middlesbrough links | OneFootball

Daniel Farke has discussed Joel Piroe's situation at Leeds, after Birmingham, Rangers and Middlesbrough had been linked with the striker.

Daniel Farke has admitted that Joel Piroe is down the pecking order at Leeds United right now, which is why he didn’t feature in their recent friendly games.

The forward played an integral role for the Whites after his move from Swansea, scoring 14 goals in his first season at the club, before following that up with 19 as they won promotion from the Championship.

However, he has found game time hard to come by since Leeds reached the Premier League, as he failed to find the net in 16 appearances last season, the majority of which were from the bench.

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Daniel Farke clarifies Joel Piroe situation amid friendly snub

Therefore, it has been reported that Leeds are open to selling the attacker, with Rangers, Middlesbrough and Birmingham having been linked with Piroe earlier in the window.

So far, though, a move hasn’t materialised, but it appears the 27-year-old isn’t going to be an important part of Farke’s plans at Leeds.

That’s after the German boss left Piroe on the bench for Leeds' 120-minute friendly win over RB Leipzig, which came on the back of the ex-Swansea man not playing against Liverpool in America.

And, speaking to Leeds Live, Farke explained the situation, as he insists it’s simply a case of having two players ahead of him at Elland Road right now.

“So the reason is just like we had two games of 60 minutes, and Dominic missed the first part of pre-season. He desperately needed the 60 minutes today. Also Lukas Nmecha was in a good shape, has scored goals, was then slightly ahead of Joel Piroe in the striker role. This is the only reason.

“But of course, tough anyhow for Joel. But during the long season, we have to take some tough decisions. And right now, we are on the stage of pre-season where I can't just say ‘OK, you play 30 minutes and the other 30 minutes, whatever’.

“They need, right now, a proper chunk of minutes, and that's the only reason. No problems at all with Joel. He's training fully-focused, concentrated and professional like always. Just a decision for Dominic and for the game time of Lukas today, and not against Joel.”

Joel Piroe would be an outstanding signing for any Championship club

It may seem harsh for Farke to not give Piroe any minutes in Leeds’ recent friendly games, particularly as the new season is weeks away, but his reasoning makes sense, and it may be his way of sending a message to the hierarchy.

He is making it clear that he doesn’t need Piroe at the club right now, so an exit from Elland Road would suit all parties right now.

From Piroe’s perspective, he still has a lot to offer, and given his record in the Championship, it would be no surprise if clubs are looking to bring him in ahead of the deadline.

Whether Birmingham or Middlesbrough go back in for the 27-year-old remains to be seen, as they have both signed forward players recently, but he would be a smart signing for virtually anyone at this level.

It’s not just Leeds where Piroe has scored goals in the second tier, as he also impressed at Swansea, so he is as close to a guarantee as you can get, even if there are doubts about his ability in the Premier League.

So, it will be interesting to see how it plays out, but Piroe must move on for the sake of his career, and whether it’s the Championship