Leeds United news round-up: Request to leave, Junior Firpo explains exit, Elland Road return

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has confirmed Mateo Joseph has asked to leave the club and has not travelled to a training camp in Germany with the Whites.

The former Espanyol youth star has broken into the senior setup at Elland Road in recent seasons and has gone on to make over 70 senior appearances under Farke and predecessors Jesse Marsch and Javi Gracia. Joseph’s form and his unquestionable promise led to a maiden call-up to the Spain Under-21s side and he has now gone on to score eight goals in his first 12 appearances to further enhance his reputation in his home country.

After being regularly linked with a move to Real Betis in recent months, Joseph is now said to be keen to return to his home country and Farke has admitted he ‘won’t stand in his way’ and insisted he only wants players in his squad that are ‘buzzing’ to play for the club in the Premier League.

Speaking after a 4-1 friendly win against German side SC Verl, Farke said: "He has also hinted that he prefers a move to Spain due to his Spanish roots. And yes, obviously that was more or less his call. And therefore, okay, we just want players who are excited about the project to play with Leeds United in the best league in the world, here in the Premier League, who want to be here with us and want to be successful with us.

“If this is more or less your wish, I, as a manager, won't stand in the way and accept this, because I just want players who want to be here and are buzzing that they can represent this club at Premier League level. For that I've said okay Mateo, I accept."

More here from Graham Smyth.

Whites cult hero explains transfer decision

Junior Firpo confirmed his emotional departure from Leeds United earlier this month as he returned to former club Real Betis.

The attacking left-back made 119 appearances during a four-year spell with the Whites and became a popular figure at Elland Road in recent seasons. However, he returned to the club where he broke through the academy system and made 43 senior appearances when his Leeds contract came to a close and will now hope to help Betis build on last season’s sixth place finish in Spanish football’s top tier.

"I'm here now. As the president said, I've always been in contact with the club,” Firpo told Estadio Deportivo. “It's not that I've ever done it with the intention of wanting to create something to come back, I've simply done it because I'm a Betis fan, because it comes from my heart and because any fan would do it. If you add to that the fact that I can come back and that I can play here again, then I'm very happy. I've missed you all and I can't put into words how much I feel.

"The year I arrived at Leeds, I already said that the biggest thing for me would be to win a title with Betis. It's a dream I have to get up every day and fight for. I don't want to put any extra pressure on ourselves, but I left a very different Betis. Today, it's a club that's been in Europe for years and aspires to great things. That's why I'm here, to give my all for these colours from the heart and return all the affection from the fans on the pitch.”

More on Firpo’s interview here.

Former Leeds United man set to return

Over 13 years have passed since academy graduate Jonny Howson left Leeds United - but he is now believed to be closing in on a return to a newly created role within the Whites youth setup.

The 37-year-old has not played for the Whites since he left Elland Road to join Norwich City in January 2012 and he has gone on to make over 560 appearances for the Canaries and Middlesbrough over that time. After spending the last eight years with the latter, Howson’s departure was officially confirmed earlier this week - and the YEP understands he is set to return to Leeds and will feature for the Whites Under-21s side as a player-coach.

The move is similar to the one made by Manchester United, who had Tom Huddlestone playing for their Under-21s aged 37 while also coaching the side and Liverpool academy graduate Jay Spearing returned to his boyhood club to coach the Under-18s while also playing for the Under-21s.

More here via Kyle Newbould.

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