The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Thursday 24th July) Mateo Joseph pushing for Real Betis move
Good Morning. It's Thursday 24th July, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road…
Mateo Joseph pushing for Real Betis move amid £8.7m valuation
Reports from Spain are intensifying regarding Leeds United striker Mateo Joseph's desire for a summer move to La Liga side Real Betis. Leading Spanish publication Marca, which recently covered manager Daniel Farke's comments on the young forward, suggests Joseph is actively "waiting for Betis."
This sentiment is echoed by El Chiringuito journalist Gonzalo Tortosa, who firmly states the 21-year-old is "pushing for it," highlighting his strong inclination towards a switch to the Seville-based club.
Leeds are reportedly seeking a fee in the region of €10 million (£8.7 million) for the Spanish U21 International. However, Real Betis are currently attempting to "reduce" this valuation, indicating ongoing negotiations over the final transfer sum and hopefully some decent add-ons.
Business concluded in midfield and defence
Leeds have made significant strides in the summer transfer window, with the arrival of six new recruits. On Tuesday night, Farke declared that the club's business in central defence and midfield is now complete, describing these additions as the "core bones of the group" that will form the backbone of his squad.
Despite these key areas being addressed, Farke's recruitment efforts are not entirely finished. The Whites are reportedly still actively seeking a new goalkeeper, a left-back, and at least one centre-forward to further strengthen their ranks ahead of the new season.
While it was previously insisted that Spanish U21 international Mateo Joseph was not for sale, it is now believed that a bid in or around £8.5 million could secure his exit. Furthermore, long-serving forward Patrick Bamford is also expected to leave ER this summer, after being told he does not feature in Farke's plans.
“I don’t want to speak too much about various positions,” he said. “It’s important the core bones of the group are there. That means the central defence and the central midfield are more or less sorted, but I’m open and transparent about it. All the other positions, we’re still looking at if we can improve the squad.
“If you speak about the goalkeeper position, we have three really good goalkeepers. Central defence is sorted, midfield is sorted, (but) we won’t fall asleep and we’ll have a look at every position in order to strengthen.”
The three on Leeds Utd's wish list
Leeds have approached the transfer window with a noticeable degree of caution so far this season. Having invested just over £60 million to bring in six new players, the Whites are widely tipped to significantly ramp up their spending in the coming weeks to address key voids across the squad. Specifically, attention is turning to strengthening the goalkeeping department, left-wing, and the crucial centre-forward role.
In goal, both Lucas Perri of Lyon and Robin Zentner from Mainz are currently identified as prime targets, reportedly earning the strong approval of the Leeds hierarchy. Upfront, Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz remains the undisputed top target. However, the Cottagers' reluctance to sell unless a like-for-like replacement is secured presents a significant hurdle, potentially turning this into a risky waiting game for the Whites.
Adding further intrigue is Igor Paixao, who features prominently on Leeds' hot list for the left-wing position. With Marseille's recent £24 million bid falling £6 million short of Feyenoord's £30 million valuation, a golden opportunity has emerged for Leeds to swoop in and secure the talented Brazilian winger.