Not just Bamford: Leeds must sell a player who earns as much as Joseph

Leeds United moved up to third in the Championship table after they secured a superb 2-0 win against Sheffield United at Elland Road on Friday night.

Their opponents had kept six successive clean sheets in the second tier ahead of the clash but could not keep out Daniel Farke’s side, who won with relative ease.

Whilst it took until the 69th minute for them to open the scoring, through Pascal Struijk, the away side did not have a shot on target all game and did not create a single ‘big chance’.

Leeds, meanwhile, created three ‘big chances’ and had four shots on target in total, scoring from two of them, as they managed to break down a stubborn defence.

After Struijk opened the scoring, the Whites looked the more likely team to get the second in the game, rather than the Blades grabbing an equaliser, and Mateo Joseph made sure of the win with a composed finish in the 90th minute.

That goal from the academy graduate means that Joseph and Joel Piroe have now combined for six goals and six assists in the Championship this season, which means that Leeds are getting more than value for money from them.

Leeds United’s highest earners

Per Capology, both strikers only earn £15k-per-week and are far from being among the top earners in the squad for the the 2024/25 campaign.

Only three players, Isaac Schmidt, Joe Rothwell, who is on loan from Bournemouth, and Alex Cairns are on less money, and all three of them are back-up options when all players are fit and available.

This means that Joseph and Piroe are the two lowest-paid regular starters, although Rothwell is currently enjoying a run of starts with Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev out through injury.