Leeds United are not looking to sell Mateo Joseph amid ongoing interest.
Leeds United have received a boost in their bid to retain Mateo Joseph amid fresh reports Real Betis are looking elsewhere for a new striker.
Elland Road chiefs first had their resolve tested with regard to Joseph in January, rejecting a late-window £10million bid from Betis. The Spanish outfit are thought to remain interested in the 21-year-old and multiple reports going into the summer suggested they would return with another offer.
The YEP reported last month that Leeds do not consider Joseph up for sale, with only a seriously good offer likely to alter their stance. And as things stand, Betis do not appear to have tabled such a bid.
Local newspaper Diario de Sevilla (via Sport Witness) claims Betis have approached Leeds regarding Joseph’s summer availability but negotiations have stalled, with the two clubs unable to come to an agreement over the transfer fee. There is no detail on how much Elland Road chiefs might want, nor how much the La Liga club are willing to pay, but an impasse looks to have been reached.
Betis are now thought to be turning attention to Real Madrid youngster Gonzalo García, who has registered two goals and one assist during this summer’s Club World Cup campaign in the United States. The 21-year-old spent last season with Madrid’s reserve side, bagging an impressive 25 goals in 36 third-tier appearances.
Of course, suggestions Betis are looking elsewhere could just as easily be a ploy from the Spanish club, who will want to appear like they are not putting all their eggs in one basket. Recent reports have also linked them with Wolves forward Fabio Silva, who spent last season on loan at Las Palmas.
Leeds United’s Mateo Joseph transfer stance clear
But with Joseph under contract at Elland Road until 2028, Leeds have no obligation to sell and with their intention being to keep the Spanish youth international, attempts to drop the price will likely fall on deaf ears. The only consideration for club chiefs will be the £1.5million signing’s ability to generate PSR profit, with chairman Paraag Marathe recently hinting that player sales are possible ahead of an expensive summer.
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Joseph did not start a single Championship game beyond December 2 last season and is expected to have two new strikers as competition, with another No.9 expected to follow Lukas Nmecha through the door. And the youngster has already outlined his ambition to play more regular football.
“The lack of clarity about my future doesn’t affect me,” Joseph told AS during this summer’s U21 European Championships. “I’m very focused on the tournament, and I’ll have to talk to Leeds, with whom I haven’t yet. We achieved our goal as a team [promotion], but I personally want to be more involved in the final stretch of the season.
“I think I need more participation to continue developing as a player. The season has just ended, and we have to stop and evaluate. We’ve been promoted to the Premier League. We’ll see what the club says, but I want to play more to continue growing. We’ll see what happens.”
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