Leeds went into the international break with a win to enjoy and a few decisions to make before January.
Leeds look for more firepower ahead of January
Noah Okafor came off the bench to settle Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham, but there’s still plenty of talk about giving Daniel Farke another striker to work with.
Football Insider has linked Leeds with Will Lankshear, who has scored 13 goals in as many Championship games for Middlesbrough. The former Spurs forward would give Farke another player who comes alive in the box, though Boro believe they can keep him beyond January.
Leeds are also believed to be watching Coventry midfielder Jack Rudoni, according to TEAMtalk, with Newcastle keen on him too.
He’s scored three Premier League goals this season, and bringing in a midfielder who can arrive late in the box would give Leeds another way to find goals without changing who leads the line.
Farke’s side are also said to be eyeing up Tottenham’s Conor Gallagher, but his reported £200,000-per-week wages will undoubtedly cause a major issue.
There’s a decision to make on the players already at Elland Road as well.
LeedsLive’s Isaac Johnson doubts Leeds will cut short Jean-Mattéo Bahoya’s loan from Eintracht Frankfurt, despite his lack of minutes, and Farke has asked for patience with the winger, while another young forward is looking for a fresh start elsewhere.
Mateo Joseph has made it clear he wants to leave Leeds, according to James Marshment of TEAMtalk.
RCD Mallorca have let his agents know they’d like him back, and Fútbol desde Mallorca reports that the Spanish club are weighing up another loan in January.
The 23-year-old played 30 times for Mallorca last season and set up Vedat Muriqi’s stoppage time winner against Real Madrid in April.
|
Mateo Joseph’s stats on loan at RCD Mallorca |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Competition |
Apps |
Starts |
Mins |
Goals |
Assists |
|
La Liga |
29 |
19 |
1,704 |
2 |
4 |
|
Copa del Rey |
1 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
30 |
19 |
1,716 |
2 |
4 |
A torn ACL ended his season soon afterwards, and he has been working his way back at Thorp Arch.
The timing is awkward for Mallorca, as local reporter Tomeu Maura says Joseph may not be ready to play until February, so they’d have to make a decision before the window shuts without seeing him back in action.
They’re sixth in Spain’s second tier and need someone who can help them in the promotion race.
Joseph’s Leeds contract runs until June 2028, and the Whites are understood to want a clause that would make the move permanent if Mallorca go up.
Why a fresh start makes sense for Joseph and Leeds
Joseph gave Leeds fans a glimpse of what he could become at Stamford Bridge in 2024, when he scored both goals in a 3-2 FA Cup defeat to Chelsea.
He began the following season ahead of Joël Piroe and opened the scoring against Hull, darting across his marker to meet Manor Solomon’s cross.
However, Piroe eventually took the shirt and finished with 19 league goals.
Joseph made 39 Championship appearances in the title season, but only 11 were starts and he scored three times. He asked Farke for a move that summer and missed the tour of Germany, by which point it was hard to see where the regular starts he wanted would come from.
Mallorca can offer Joseph a better chance of playing once he’s fit, and they know what he can do from last season.
A loan gives them time to see how he comes back, while a purchase clause could give Leeds a route to a fee.
Tying that clause to appearances as well as promotion would give Mallorca some protection and let Joseph concentrate on getting back on the pitch, which is what he needs most.
