Farke admits Piroe surplus while Rangers, Birmingham eye him

Daniel Farke has admitted that Joel Piroe is down the pecking order at Leeds United, leaving the 27‑year‑old striker out of recent friendlies and prompting the club to consider a sale, with Rangers, Birmingham City and Middlesbrough all linked to a possible move.

Piroe arrived from Swansea and became a key figure for the Whites, netting 14 goals in his debut Championship season and adding 19 more as Leeds secured promotion.

Since the promotion to the Premier League, his game time has dwindled; he made 16 appearances last season, all largely from the bench, and failed to score.

He was also omitted from Leeds' 120‑minute friendly victory over RB Leipzig and did not feature in the earlier friendly against Liverpool in America.

Speaking to Leeds Live, Farke explained, “So the reason is just like we had two games of 60 minutes, and Dominic missed the first part of pre‑season. He desperately needed the 60 minutes today. Also Lukas Nmecha was in a good shape, has scored goals, was then slightly ahead of Joel Piroe in the striker role. This is the only reason.”

He added, “No problems at all with Joel. He's training fully‑focused, concentrated and professional like always. It’s just a decision for Dominic and for the game time of Lukas today, not against Joel.”

Farke stressed that the decision is about giving the two forwards the minutes they need, and that Leeds are prepared to let Piroe leave if the right offer arrives.

Leeds have not completed a transfer yet, but the striker’s Championship record – 33 goals across two seasons – makes him an attractive target for clubs such as Rangers, Birmingham City and Middlesbrough, who have already added forward options this window.

Action Image By  Chris Gallagher Published Aug 9, 2026, 7:49 PM GMT+1. Chris is a freelance writer for Football League World, graduated from Leeds Trinity University and has been with FLW since 2017, covering the Championship and attending West Brom and Birmingham City matches.

He also part of the editing team at FLW. Add Us.