Mateo Joseph’s Leeds United future has been a talking point since the end of last season. Whether or not he remains at Elland Road going into next season remains a mystery.
Mateo Joseph was a bit part player under Daniel Farke in the Championship last season. The Spaniard featured 39 times but started just 11 league games, with three goals.
Following Leeds United’s promotion to the Premier League, there has been a lot of talk about whether or not Joseph will be sold this summer.
In fact, there were reports earlier in the summer that Leeds United had agreed to sell Joseph for around £8.5million, with La Liga side Real Betis understood to be his preferred choice.
Already this summer, Real Betis have signed Junior Firpo on a free transfer following his Leeds United exit, and Joseph could well follow his former Whites teammate to Spain this summer.
Speculation about Joseph leaving West Yorkshire was fuelled last week when the striker was left out of Leeds United’s squad that played Manchester United in a friendly in Stockholm.
The latest on Mateo Joseph’s Leeds United future
The latest on Joseph’s future at Leeds United comes from Leeds Live. They write clearly that Joseph is not for sale this summer. That’s despite reports of Real Betis viewing Joseph as a key transfer target this summer, and reports that Joseph is currently unhappy with his game time at the club, with the 21-year-old holding lofty ambitions of playing for Spain in the World Cup next year.
Leeds Live add that it is uncertain when and whether Joseph will fly out to Germany to join his Leeds United teammates in a pre-season camp this week. Interestingly, the same report adds that staff at Leeds note Joseph’s hunger for game time and young age, insisting that he’s simply being given the time to reset and recharge back at base, having featured heavily in Spain’s Euro Under-21 campaign this summer.
What Daniel Farke said about Mateo Joseph after Leeds United omission
Last weekend, Leeds opened their pre-season with a draw against Man United. The game ended 0-0, but Leeds more than held their own against the Red Devils, with a handful of players looking bright, in particular Wilfried Gnonto among others.
Speaking after the game, Farke explained why Joseph didn’t play for Leeds United that day. He said: “With Willy, he came back in such good shape and is desperate to be involved, and that’s why he is with us. Mateo mentioned he doesn’t feel ready for games, that’s why he’s not involved in the trip.”
Many Leeds fans on social media speculated as to what that might mean. Many fear that Joseph has made up his mind to leave Leeds United, though with Leeds seemingly desperate to keep Joseph at the club this summer, the player might now find himself between a rock and a hard place.
In the end, it is up to Farke and the 49ers whether Joseph is sold this summer, but expect Leeds United to want to sign another striker before considering a sale of Joseph, with striker options still very limited at Thorp Arch.
Leeds United next play Spanish side Villarreal in a friendly game at Elland Road on August 2nd.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
