Joel Piroe is good striker and the "best finisher" Daniel Farke has worked with, but a new milestone indicates what might come next
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
07:30, 26 Feb 2026
Joel Piroe was key to Leeds United's promotion campaign last season
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Joel Piroe was key to Leeds United's promotion campaign last season(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
February 2025 was a fun month for Joel Piroe. After scoring twice against Cardiff City in a 7-0 mauling of the Bluebirds, goals against Coventry City and Watford marked the first time he had scored in three consecutive Leeds United games.
As a result, he sat on 14 Championship goals at that point. "I'm not happy with his goal tally so far - I want him to get close to 20 goals this season," Daniel Farke said afterwards.
That he did. After scoring in a crucial 3-1 away win at Sheffield United to close out February, Piroe would walk home with the Championship golden boot, with his four goals against Stoke City on promotion day last April ultimately seeing him finish on 19 strikes.
Farke would later brand him as the "best finisher" he has worked with. The reality today is that his demolition of Stoke is the only game he has scored in over the past 12 months.
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His thunder-goal at Bramall Lane came on February 24, a year ago on Tuesday. It is fair to say that Piroe's Premier League campaign has not gone as hoped.
Just two league starts and none since August. A missed penalty in his only start since the beginning of September, against Derby County in the FA Cup third round, didn’t help matters.
His conversion in the shoot-out against Birmingham City in the next round came as a small consolation after being snubbed from a line up many expected him to make.
There is no guarantee he starts against Norwich City in the fifth round - or in any other game this season.
Joel Piroe of Leeds United reacts during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Derby County and Leeds United
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Joel Piroe of Leeds United(Image: Getty Images)
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the premier choice for Farke, Piroe agreeing in January that the summer signing has deserved that role. Lukas Nmecha’s seven goals largely as a rotation player means Leeds have nabbed 17 goals from their two new free strikers.
Piroe is at best fourth-pick striker behind Noah Okafor, and arguably fifth given Brenden Aaronson has often been chosen to dovetail with Calvert-Lewin up front.
He had a number of Championship and overseas clubs enquire about him in January, but Piroe had made it clear he wanted to fight for his place.
As a result, there is a possibility he goes a whole season, and thereby a full 18 months, without scoring a club goal. Since his last Premier League start, Piroe has played just 72 minutes in the competition.
To put this in perspective, he played more minutes - 90 - in the dramatic final day title win at Plymouth Argyle at the end of last season. It’s been quite a change of status.
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The flagging of this year-long milestone is not to incite a continual pile-on for a player whose dire season is already well-known and well covered. Piroe is still a good striker who will have plenty of options come the summer. His decision to stay in January is admirable.
Yet this week, he has reached a notable, significant and unwanted landmark in his Leeds stay. One must therefore wonder how far away the point of no return is, if it has not passed already.