Leeds United want English club’s £8m striker but Joel Piroe has a better record during 2024-25

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If Leeds United do secure promotion to the Premier League this season, then one of the club’s main priorities in the transfer market will be improving options up front.

With Leeds expected to be promoted in the coming couple of months, plenty of big-name strikers have been linked with joining Leeds. Wild suggestions like Tammy Abraham and Rasmus Hojlund, for example.

Leeds do need forwards with Mateo Joseph’s season summed up when he toe-poked an effort against the bar on Saturday. A great run, plenty of effort, doing everything right but receiving no reward or luck.

Joel Piroe is joint-first in the list of Championship goalscorers with 15, already overtaking last season’s tally of 14. The Dutchman also has twice as many assists as last term – but Leeds need more in attack.

• READ MORE: Leeds should consider rectifying 2023 transfer failure with £15m Southampton deal

Leeds want Josh Sargent but Joel Piroe has better stats

United States international Josh Sargent is back on Leeds United’s radar with the Norwich City star on fire after a groin op. Scoring seven goals in his last seven league games, Sargent has 11 goals in 21 outings.

Leeds have shown interest in Sargent in the past, with Daniel Farke having signed Sargent at Norwich for £8m in the summer of 2021. But how does he compare with Piroe, with both playing in the second tier.

Sargent’s 11 goals have come in less games than Piroe given his groin surgery, while Piroe’s 15 goals have come in 35 Championship games – though the former Swansea man has only started 25 of those games.

Piroe and Sargent compared in Championship this season:

Joel Piroe’s goal stats better than Josh Sargent, but not assists

It is marginal, but Piroe has scored at a better rate in terms of minutes played than Sargent in England’s second tier this season. It could be argued Piroe has more chances given he is playing in a better side.

Sargent has also had to deal with an operation and rediscovering his rhythm but then, Piroe was made to wait for a run in the starting line-up at the start of the season with Farke preferring Joseph to begin with.

However, Sargent has a slightly better ratio when assists are compared to minutes played against Piroe. Indeed, Piroe has more assists with 500 more minutes played than Sargent, the latter’s tally is better.

Ultimately, is Sargent worth signing when he is hardly an improvement on Piroe? Farke knows Sargent well and is a fan of his former Norwich star, but surely in the Premier League, Leeds need to sign better.