da aposte e ganhe： Leeds United had known for some time that Rodrigo would not be sticking around in Yorkshire for very long after their relegation.
da bet nacional： It was reported as early as March that a drop to the Championship would see the Spaniard depart, and it has since been confirmed that the 32-year-old – who finished as the club's top scorer last term – is set to join Al Rayyan in Qatar.
Fans will thank the forward for his services to the club and efforts to avoid the inevitable, but will look to speedily move on given the bright future that Daniel Farke's appointment promises.
As a seasoned winner at this level, the German coach is expected to spearhead their immediate return to the Premier League; but will need new additions.
A threadbare squad that is certain to be picked off as the summer goes on, perhaps some tried and tested signings from this level akin to the manager himself could be just what is required to ensure another 16-year wait is avoided.
As per reports earlier this month, then that certainly seems to be the case for the Whites, who are exploring a move for the Swansea City marksman, Joel Piroe.
With his price tag sitting at just £12m, this marks a no-brainer to welcome a proven Championship finisher who could fire them straight out of this division. Especially given that Swansea have just signed Jerry Yates too, which could be viewed as a replacement for their potentially outgoing ace
Who is Joel Piroe?
The 23-year-old only moved to Wales in 2021, but quickly established himself as one of Russell Martin's key assets as they sought to climb up the table.
Notching 22 league goals in his debut year, just last season saw the "prolific" ace – as lauded by Tribal Football's Benjamin Bloom – score 19 and assist twice for a side that would finish in a lowly tenth.
To slide him into a squad like Leeds', which is sure to only be improved upon further this window too, these figures could reach frightening heights.
After all, Martin himself was effusive in his praise for the 6 foot 1 finisher back in 2022: "If you wanted it to fall to anyone, it is him, he is so clinical with both feet, and he is a great technician. But the most important thing he has is the right mentality when he gets around the goal.
“He shows composure, he is calm, and he just focuses on his technique, something that all top strikers possess."
Whilst it might seem unattainable now to acquire someone who can live up to the goalscoring levels set by Rodrigo, Piroe's availability defies belief given he could be just that man.
After all, the former Valencia front-man notched 13 Premier League goals as they fell to relegation, earning huge praise.
This void that his exit will create could be compared to the one Raphinha left last summer, and yet they found someone to step up. Micah Richards even pointed this out: "Four goals in three now, he’s absolutely on fire. He’s a man playing with confidence. When Raphinha goes, you’re looking for someone to step up to the plate and he really has."
It seems that the Whites could once again be set to secure a fine replacement with ease, by bringing in Piroe to ease any goalscoring concerns held by Farke.