One priority for Leeds United this summer will be to bring in a new striker at Elland Road. Joel Piroe is the Championship’s golden boot winner, but there are doubts over whether he can do it at the top.
To be fair to Joel Piroe, he’s not yet been given the chance. The Dutchman has not actually played in the Premier League yet, unlike a lot of his Leeds teammates – having only played for Swansea prior to Leeds.
An impressive haul of 26 goals and assists during 2024-25 does not tell the whole story. Piroe scored four of his 19 goals against Stoke but before that, had gone nine games without a goal and does go missing.
In the Premier League, chances will be limited and Leeds may need to sign a striker that has proven he can score in England’s top flight. One striker that has been linked with a move to Leeds is Everton’s Beto.
David Moyes u-turn on Everton striker Beto amid Leeds Links
Beto joined Everton for a whopping £26m in the summer of 2023 but had struggled to make an impact until the return of David Moyes as manager. Moyes has made him first choice and Beto is now thriving.
The Guinea Bissau striker has 11 Premier League goals in 58 top-tier outings, but seven have come in the second half of this term after Moyes made him first choice. He netted on Saturday in a 3-1 win at Fulham.
Last week, it emerged Leeds were keen on Beto despite the two clubs likely to be rivals next term and the move of Angus Kinnear and Nick Hammond to Merseyside. Now, the Liverpool Echo have an update.
They claim that initially, Moyes was “unconvinced” with Beto behind the scenes at Everton. But now, the Scottish manager has changed his mind on Beto and that may see the former Udinese man stay put.
What Beto has said about his future since the Leeds links
Saturday’s goal saw Beto make it two in two games, proving to be somewhat streaky for Moyes’ side. He scored five goals in four Premier League games back in February before going goalless until this month.
Leeds fans will look at Beto’s price and then his numbers in the Premier League and rightly, question why Leeds are interested. Beto himself has spoken out about his future, and underlined his love for Everton.
He said: “I feel blessed and very grateful to be here and play for Everton. I am fighting. I am fighting with myself to be more consistent I’m happy. I’m happy to fight, to prove myself every day. I will never stop.”
Beto has two years left on his Everton contract and the chances are, Kinnear’s new side will refuse a sale especially to a club like Leeds that are likely to rival Everton in the fight to avoid a relegation scrap.
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