The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Thursday 12th June) - Real Betis closing in on cut-price Joseph deal

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Thursday 12th June, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Betis closing in an another cut-price Leeds deal

Spanish outlet Diario De Sevilla are reporting that Real Betis are closing in on a cut-price £6.75 million deal for Mateo Joseph. The proposed deal also includes a 20% sell-on clause. This comes just months after Leeds rejected a £10 million bid from the Seville-based club for the 21-year-old in January, choosing to retain the promising forward.

This potential transfer raises serious questions about the nature of the relationship between the two clubs. Is Real Betis exerting some kind of influence over Leeds United's transfer dealings? This wouldn't be the first instance of Betis acquiring players from Leeds for what appears to be below market value.

In recent times, Betis have successfully poached Marc Roca and Diego Llorente from Elland Road, for fees that didn't reflect their true worth. The potential acquisition of Mateo Joseph for just £6.75 million, after rejecting a higher bid just months ago, adds further confusion to the proposed deal.

The question remains: what leverage do the Europa Conference League finalists have over Leeds United? Are there pre-existing agreements, personal connections, or financial pressures that are influencing these transfer decisions?

The situation warrants closer examination. Leeds United fans will understandably be concerned if their club is being exploited in the transfer market. Selling promising young players like Mateo Joseph for significantly less than their market value could hinder the club's long-term ambitions.





Leeds transfer round up

Leeds United are confident in signing Slovenian International centre-back Jaka Bijol, and continue to monitor Newcastle United's Sean Longstaff and Strasbourg's Habib Diarra. Talks with Udinese are focused on a transfer for Bijol valued between €15-18 million (£12.7-15.2m). He would provide a significant boost to Leeds' defensive options with his experience and physicality.

However, securing Habib Diarra from Strasbourg seems less certain. Despite submitting a bid of €26 million (£22m), confidence at Elland Road is waning regarding the success of this transfer. The reasons behind the uncertainty remain undisclosed, but it suggests potential complications in agreeing personal terms or facing competition from other clubs.

In midfield, Newcastle United's Sean Longstaff has emerged as a target. Despite Newcastle triggering a one-year extension to his contract, keeping him at the club until June 2026, Leeds believe Longstaff is an attainable target this summer.

The 27-year-old's playing time at Newcastle diminished last season, with only eight league starts and less than 800 Premier League minutes in 2024-25. This reduced role could make him open to a move in search of consistent first-team football.

Longstaff’s Premier League experience is a key factor driving Leeds' interest. Having accumulated 171 appearances in the top flight over the past seven years, he possesses valuable knowledge and understanding of the league's demands.

Beyond Bijol and Longstaff, The Athletic has reported interest in Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz. However, of all the publicly known targets, negotiations are most advanced with Udinese for Jaka Bijol, signaling the defender as a priority signing.

It is strongly rumoured that Leeds would not stand in Pascal Struijk's way if he wanted to move away from Elland Road this summer.

[The Subhuman]

Longstaff would replace Tanaka in the starting line up, or should. He's not an AMF which is the need, or does he back up Tanaka?

Would be poor work from the Niners to sell a quality striker for that cheap

Bijol is a right sided CB or DMF, who's he replacing I wonder.. Rodon or Amps?

[Ellandback1]

Longstaff would replace Tanaka in the starting line up, or should. He's not an AMF which is the need, or does he back up Tanaka?

Would be poor work from the Niners to sell a quality striker for that cheap

Bijol is a right sided CB or DMF, who's he replacing I wonder.. Rodon or Amps?

Longstaff has a big engine and can cover every blade of grass

[Ellandback1]

Rumours that Chris Wilder has left Sheffield Utd

[Sean_Nile]

Mysterious sigils buried under the Real Betis Villamarin stadium.

When Real Betis renovated the Benito Villamarín stadium in the 1980s, few knew that beneath its foundations, a sealed chamber was uncovered... one never reported to the public.

Inside were parchments, broken tiles, and four ancient sigils etched into stone. These were the very symbols you now see: obscure emblems drawn from The Lesser Key of Solomon, a grimoire, to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, associated with esoteric knowledge and invoked by secret societies, including branches of the Illuminati that had splintered centuries earlier.

The four seals belong to spirits once bound by oath to guard royal bloodlines and control fate through unseen influence.

What made the discovery chilling wasn’t just their presence, but a fifth, incomplete sigil, barely visible, damaged by time, inscribed with characters forming the name Mateo Joseph, as though it had been prophesied.

The script, a fusion of Hebrew and Castilian, matched nothing from the modern era. Experts in occult history who reviewed copies of the images confirmed that “MATEO” was once used as a codename within Iberian Illuminati circles, signifying a vessel of ancestral convergence. “JOSEPH” was linked to guardianship, not merely of people, but of hidden bloodlines.

Now, Mateo Joseph plays for Leeds, yet the forces that once marked him beneath the Villamarín have not forgotten. Some believe his path was set centuries ago by those who feared or revered his lineage. Some say that the proposed transfer from Leeds may be an attempt to fulfill a prophecy. While something older, watching from the shadows of Seville, where the sigils still lie, rubs its hands at the prospect of the deal being completed.

[PhoenixUnited]

If Leeds United want to let Matteo Joseph go, the fee top Betis should be £ 18m plus. I think the below £7m suggestion is just a figure plucked out of the air to generate debate

[Chilli D]

Betis did us a favour taking Llorente and Roca off our hands, not so sure about Joseph.
He didn't do as well last season asi expected or hoped for but he's still young so I think we should hold on to him for another season.

[The Subhuman]

Longstaff has a big engine and can cover every blade of grass

Yes, he's central mid. Same as Tanaka, who can also every blade of grass. Good back up

[mentalcase]

I know we've been stupid in the past with selling players for under their market value, mainly because we've had to do that, do we have to do those things now, and if so why !!!!
I don't think we do, it wouldn't be stupid if we did, it would be very very stupid, about time we started playing hard-ball tactics with our players, if other sides want them, they pay a premium, if not, get stuffed.
Joseph has plenty time to turn things around, he aint a poor player at all, just didn't work last season such was the expectation to get promotion when he got the chance he didn't take it, but I believe he will in the future.

[Ellandback1]

If Leeds United want to let Matteo Joseph go, the fee top Betis should be £ 18m plus. I think the below £7m suggestion is just a figure plucked out of the air to generate debate

But who would do such a monsterous thing

[hector]

But who would do such a monsterous thing

Not the sort of thing an estate agent would do is it??

[WhiteRose]

All our outgoing are always cut price, we are like the uk government negotiating Brexit or the chagos islands - I.e they rarely go in our favour.

Wober and Harrison will be the next pair shipped off for sod all.

[The Subhuman]

Interesting thing about Joseph when he did start at the beginning of last season is he was good, movement excellent, got into the right positions, helds the ball up better than anyone I've seen at Leeds for a while but didn't get on the scoresheet enough though his vision and creativity for others was good

But we paid top dollar for Piroe and he was always likely to come back in barring an incredible start from Joseph.. it was mearly good, not incredible

[1964white]

Rumours that Chris Wilder has left Sheffield Utd

I wouldn't be suprised.

[whiteswan]

I wouldn't be suprised.

Under discussion at the mo according to SKY news.

[Carrick Dave]

Apparently Joseph has asked to be allowed to go.

[Cjay]

Joseph isn't turning down a starting role at a top 6 La Liga side to be 3rd choice here.

[DDB220]

The main thing about selling Joseph that concerns me is that his progress has parallel’s with Gyokeres when Brighton off loaded him. I am not suggesting he will go on to be at that level but there are similarities.

We never seem to be in a position to loan out the talent with the highest ceiling to get the right experience at the right club. We lurch from one minimalist 1st team squad issue to another.

Why we are not loaning out Joseph to a Spanish team rather than selling him is madness. This to me suggests the massive war chest quoted is simply not the reality. 1st team is the priority and we have a number of legacy players that we will struggle to shift and they are some of the highest earners.

[marie67]

Yes, he's central mid. Same as Tanaka, who can also every blade of grass. Good back up

I doubt that Longstaff would expect to be backup.
He already has that role at Newcastle after previously starting.

[Ellandback1]

Not the sort of thing an estate agent would do is it??

Wouldn't put it past em