Leeds United have been craving someone to replace Raphinha ever since his departure last summer. His exit was an expected one, as the Brazilian had offered all he could to the club that he had admittedly outgrown.
His future was destined to be at a much better and brighter side, and having won La Liga in his first year in Barcelona, this has been proven correct. Meanwhile, the Whites fell to relegation from the Premier League.
In an effort to finally recapture that true maverick, who can be a match-winner all on their own, now the 49ers must search for such an asset within their new level.
The Championship boasts plenty of untapped talent just waiting to be unleashed, but in Joel Piroe, many throughout this division will already know his name.
Standing at 6 foot 1 but retaining blistering speed and skill, the Dutchman terrorised defences for fun last term.
If the rumours are true, he could be set to repeat this feat again next season, but in Elland Road rather than Wales.
Is Joel Piroe similar to Raphinha?
Having come up through the academy at PSV Eindhoven, Swansea City secured a huge coup when they tempted him to join them back in 2021.
Ever since that switch, he has proven himself to be a more than dependable source of goals and assists in the Championship, recording 19 strikes last term, following the 28 goal contributions he had posted the season before even that.
Despite naturally being a centre forward, he has been deployed from the right wing too, enabling him to cut into his deadly left foot with devastating effect. Such blistering form in front of goal even led his former manager Russell Martin, who has since departed for Southampton, to brand him "clinical".
Their former Brazilian trickster was also a star down that flank, scoring 11 league goals as the Yorkshire outfit narrowly avoided the drop before his departure. He could beat a man, create and, quite clearly, score with ease.
Although Piroe might represent a far more physical alternative to the 26-year-old, his ability to win matches on his own makes him even more similar than could be imagined. Not to mention that he also maintained 0.8 key passes per game (sixth-best at Swansea) and an 83% pass accuracy last season too in the league, suggesting he is far more than just a classic brutish number nine.
Should Daniel Farke, who is the frontrunner for Leeds' vacancy, opt to keep Patrick Bamford as his striker for next season or even subscribe to the links for Viktor Gyokeres, this £12k-per-week 23-year-old could still thrive should he join even if his favoured position is occupied.
This versatility, plus his ability to do the spectacular, only emphasises the dynamic that the 49ers could recapture in acquiring Piroe.
