Leeds United have been the home to countless attacking talents over the years, numerous of whom have captured the hearts of the fanbase for their goalscoring exploits.
Luciano Becchio joined the Whites back in 2008 from Spanish side Merida, arriving as an unknown quantity to many, but the gamble on his services certainly paid off given his form at Elland Road.
The Argentine notched a total of 76 goals in his 221 appearances over five years in Yorkshire, often being the shining light during what was a dark period for the club, even dropping into League One.
Jermaine Beckford starred alongside Becchio for a couple of years during the aforementioned period, scoring 71 times in 126 outings – with his most iconic moment coming against Manchester United in the FA Cup victory at Old Trafford.
However, fast-forward to the present day, Daniel Farke has his own crop of impressive attacking talents, including two who have caught the eye in recent outings.
Joel Piroe & Manor Solomon’s stats for Leeds in 2024/25
Dutch striker Joel Piroe has often had his doubters during his time at Leeds, especially considering the hierarchy forked out over £10m for his signature at the start of last season.
The 25-year-old scored his 13th league goal of the Championship season in the recent win over Coventry City, cementing his place at the top of the club’s goalscoring standings.
He’s slowly but surely starting to get the supporters on side 18 months after his move to the club, undoubtedly having a spot in their hearts forever if he can guide them back to the Premier League.
As for Manor Solomon, the Israeli moved on loan in the summer from Tottenham Hotspur looking to gain valuable game time, with it quickly becoming apparent that he’s way above the level of a second-tier player.
The winger has produced some impressive numbers within the final third, with his tally of six goals and six assists, nailing down the left-wing position as his very own under Farke.
However, despite the impressive form of the aforementioned duo, they’ve both been outscored by one player who’s been operating in a higher division throughout 2024/25.
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The former Leeds star who’s outscored Piroe & Solomon
Leeds have always had a player capable of producing the goods in the final third, none more so than Chris Wood, who caught the eye for his goalscoring record during his two years at the club.
The New Zealand international joined the Whites back in 2015 for a fee in the region of £2.5m, a bargain considering his outrageous goalscoring form in Yorkshire.
He bagged 13 goals in 37 games across all competitions during his debut season at Elland Road, before registering a career-best 30 in the following campaign – in what would be his final year with the Whites.
Wood ended his time with Leeds with 44 goals in 88 matches before swapping Yorkshire for Lancashire, joining Burnley in a then club-record deal of £15m – moving to the Premier League as a result.
Undoubtedly, it’s hard to turn down a move to the top division, especially when the club were languishing in mid-table of the Championship, but no one could’ve envisaged his recent form for Nottingham Forest over the last two years.
The striker, who is now 33 years old, has been on a prolific run of form for the Reds, scoring 14 times in the league last season, playing a huge role in their survival under Nuno Espírito Santo.
However, in 2024/25, he’s taken his game to the next level, scoring 17 times in just 24 games, up there with the top-level talents in the division, leading to TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher dubbing him as “outstanding”.
Premier League’s top goalscorers in 2024/25 |
|
---|---|
Player |
Tally |
1. Mohamed Salah |
21 |
2. Erling Haaland |
19 |
3. Chris Wood |
17 |
= Alexander Isak |
17 |
4. Cole Palmer |
14 |
= Bryan Mbeumo |
14 |
5. Matheus Cunha |
11 |
= Yoane Wissa |
11 |
= Justin Kluivert |
11 |
Stats via FotMob |
The club had to sell Wood in their current predicament, but undoubtedly it would’ve been a dream to have kept hold of him given his goalscoring antics away from Elland Road.
A player of his calibre would massively increase Farke’s chances of securing promotion at the second attempt, but the German must now have every faith in Piroe and Solomon to guide them back to the promised land.
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