West Ham sign Leeds United's Joel Piroe as key financial detail emerges | OneFootball

The financial details of Joel Piroe's switch from Leeds United to West Ham United have emerged following a loan with an obligation to buy deal...

West Ham United have completed the signing of Joel Piroe from Leeds United for the 2026/27 Championship season and the terms of the deal have officially been confirmed.

After scoring just once in the FA Cup last season, Leeds United have allowed the 2024/25 Championship top scorer to depart. Joel Piroe scored 19 and assisted seven in their promotion-winning campaign under Daniel Farke.

West Ham United have signed Manor Solomon recently, with Piroe linking back up with the attacker after playing together at Elland Road. That Leeds side scored 95 goals, which was 24 more than any other team in the division.

How much West Ham are paying Leeds United for Joel Piroe

Piroe's contract with the Whites ends in 2027, but the Surinamese penned a deal with an option to extend until 2028. Leeds have allowed him to depart on loan with an obligation to buy next summer.

The conditions of that obligation have since been detailed, with Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph explaining that the move will become permanent if certain conditions are met, including one being if the Hammers are promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

There are long-term issues West Ham might run into regarding Piroe. However, amid talk of a £15 million move to bring Piroe to West Ham from Leeds, the true fee has emerged from journalist Ben Jacobs.

Jacobs states that the final package is a little less than £15 million, with the deal possibly up to £12 million of Piroe joins West Ham permanently, while also taking into account the loan fee involved as well.

Zinny Boswell of Sky Sports has also revealed that the option is £8 million, which implies a loan fee of around £4 million.

Joel Piroe's remarkable Championship record

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In terms of active Championship players, only two have scored more goals than Piroe's 74 (including play-offs). The 27-year-old is behind Adam Armstrong (94) and former Leeds teammate Patrick Bamford (81).

The ex-Swansea City forward is just ahead of Kieffer Moore (72) but each of those players will be eyeing joining to 100-club this season. Also, Piroe taking the number nine shirt at West Ham should not disguise the fact that he is more than a traditional striker.

He developed as an attacking midfielder and has the rare ability to finish confidently off either foot, which helped push him higher up the pitch at Swansea and Leeds. Arguably, his best role is as a false nine, where he can drop into midfield, bring wingers into play and then arrive late in the box to attack cutbacks.

His movement and positional intelligence allow him to contribute creatively before still possessing the instincts to finish moves himself. He has scored a minimum of 16 goals in every campaign he has been in England, too.

How Leeds fans reacted on social media to Joel Piroe joining West Ham for £12 million

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Many Leeds supporters took to social media to reveal their thoughts on the finanicals involved in the deal, with West Ham securing a loan and an obligation to buy for the forward.

A neutral Southampton supporter stated: "Obligation to buy so you end up with champ deadwood that needs to be sold after you get promoted. Makes sense yh."