Neil Warnock says Leeds United have a £10m player that every manager wants

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The result may suggest that Leeds United struggled against Portsmouth on Sunday, with the 1-0 away defeat becoming a common curse during Daniel Farke’s Elland Road era.

Since the German arrived, Birmingham, Stoke, Sunderland, West Brom, Millwall, Blackburn and then on Sunday, Portsmouth have beaten Leeds by a goal to nil. But Leeds should have scored three or four.

Junior Firpo hit the bar moments after missing a one-on-one, while Dan James headed wide. Sam Byram came off the bench to plant a header on goal but it was tipped over by the impressive Nico Schmid.

Lucy Ward and Lee Hendrie think Leeds should have had a penalty, but it was Joel Piroe that was guilty of Leeds’ biggest chances. A tap-in early on and pretty much, an open goal during the second half.

• READ MORE: Daniel Farke confirms one outfield player will start for Leeds on Wednesday night

Neil Warnock raves about Leeds United striker Joel Piroe

Piroe has been excellent this season. He was made to wait for his chance and yet, the Dutchman has had a hand in 21 goals. He’s already scored more goals this season, than he did during the 2023-24 season.

Farke has described Piroe as the Championship’s best finisher and the £10m signing is proving it this term. Speaking after Sunday’s defeat to Portsmouth, Neil Warnock was full of praise for the Leeds striker.

“He is a manager’s dream. Sometimes these players go off the radar really, I love it because when he’s up there he’s marked tight but he still grafts. He works his socks off. They drop him back later on,” he said.

“That’s when he has all the space. The centre-half doesn’t know what to do with him, the anchoring midfielder doesn’t know what to do with him,” Warnock said while working as a pundit on Sky Sports.

Joel Piroe this season compared to last season at Leeds United

Piroe has been immense. This is a player that came into the season as Leeds’ second-choice striker behind Mateo Joseph, after the Spaniard scored pre-season goals against Hannover, Schalke and then Valencia.

But Piroe bided his time, shook off Sheffield United’s attempt to unsettle him and has gone on to lead the goalscoring charts and sit top of the goal involvements chart. He is proving why Leeds chose to sign him.

Hopefully, Piroe can found his shooting boots again when Leeds host Millwall on Wednesday night. But Farke may opt to drop him into the 10 role if he does decide to drop the out-of-form Brenden Aaronson.