Fresh transfer talks planned as Leeds United star targeted - £10m bid already rejected

Leeds United could soon be approached for talks over the future of Mateo Joseph as reports emerge of fresh interest from Real Betis.

Joseph was on the radar of Betis and several other La Liga clubs during the January transfer window, having enjoyed an excellent season at international level with five goals in six appearances for Spain’s Under-21s. Los Verdiblancos even went as far as to submit an offer worth north of £10million, with the YEP reporting at the time Leeds didn’t consider losing more senior forwards an option, having loaned Joe Gelhardt to Hull City and lost Patrick Bamford to a hamstring injury.

“When you are in the spotlight it attracts attention from your players,” Leeds boss Daniel Farke said when quizzed on that bid after the January window closed. “It was important for us to block out the interest. There were a few approaches for our players but we blocked it because we wanted to keep the core group. To hold together the core group was a key topic for us.”

Leeds will prioritise the signing of a top-level striker this summer ahead of their Premier League return, a move which in theory would demote Joseph to third-choice No.9 and 2024/25 Championship Golden Boot winner Joel Piroe to back-up. And Elland Road chiefs’ resolve in the former could be freshly tested with reports from Spain suggesting Betis will return ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Mundo Deportivo report that January target Joseph is ‘one of the candidates’ being considered by Betis, who like Leeds are keen to strengthen their attacking unit over the summer. As such, the La Liga club ‘plan to speak’ with Elland Road chiefs once their season is over, with one league game and a Europa Conference League final meeting with Chelsea still to come this month.

Betis will be able to offer European football once again next season, likely through the Europa League, and their recruitment chiefs see ‘great potential’ in Joseph, who has shown plenty of potential in West Yorkshire while starring on the international stage. They plan to initiate talks with Leeds over the possibility of a summer move, although the report adds ‘negotiations are proving difficult’.

Joseph will still have three years left on his Leeds contract come summer and remains a valued member of Farke’s squad, despite not starting a Championship game since December 29. He has been one of just two No.9 options to be available for large parts of the campaign and has shown moments of brilliance, albeit they have been few and far between amid the consistent goalscoring form of Joel Piroe.

Leeds will have decisions to make on a number of players in a similar position to Joseph, who are currently on the fringes of first-team football ahead of a busy summer in which upgrades are needed across the board. Several No.9s have already been linked with a move to Elland Road including Newcastle United’s Callum Wilson and Everton frontman Beto.

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