EXCLUSIVE: Joel Piroe determined to prove himself at Leeds United after fulfilling Premier League dream

Leeds United forward Joel Piroe insists he is determined to establish himself in the Premier League after achieving a lifelong ambition of playing in England’s top flight.

In an exclusive interview with Flashscore ahead of the 2026/27 season, the Dutch-born striker reflected on his journey, adapting to Premier League football, his ambitions with Leeds, and the legendary players who helped shape his career.

A lifelong Premier League ambition

Although many young footballers dream of representing Real Madrid or Barcelona, Piroe admits the Premier League always stood out as the competition he wanted to conquer.

“Growing up, everyone wanted to play for Barcelona or Real Madrid because of what El Clasico represented,” Piroe explained.

“But as I got older, my dream became playing in the Premier League because everyone always said it was the best league in the world.”

The striker credits former Dutch greats Ruud van Nistelrooy, Roy Makaay, and Boudewijn Zenden for inspiring him through their advice and experiences.

“Hearing their stories made me even more determined to reach that level.”

From PSV to Swansea and Leeds United

After leaving PSV Eindhoven for Swansea City in 2021, Piroe quickly became one of the Championship’s most prolific forwards, scoring 46 goals in 96 appearances.

His impressive form earned him a move to Leeds United in 2023, where he enjoyed a memorable 2024/25 campaign by scoring 19 league goals, winning the Championship Golden Boot, and helping the Whites secure promotion back to the Premier League.

“It was special,” Piroe said.

“Winning the league and helping Leeds get promoted are memories that still give me goosebumps.”

Adapting to Premier League football

Last season finally saw the 26-year-old realise his dream of playing in the Premier League, although he admits it required patience and adaptation.

“Personally, it was a good season because I experienced the Premier League for the first time, even if I didn’t play as big a role as I wanted.”

Piroe believes both he and Leeds needed time to adjust before finding their rhythm.

“As a team we improved a lot during the season, and finishing 14th showed we adapted well after a difficult start.”

Ready to fight for his place

The arrival of Dominic Calvert-Lewin limited Piroe’s opportunities, with the striker making 21 appearances across all competitions and scoring once against Norwich City in the FA Cup.

Despite limited minutes, he insists his confidence has never wavered.

“If you only play around 570 minutes, it’s difficult to judge yourself too harshly,” he explained.

“Of course, I remember chances like the one against Manchester United, where I could have scored the winner, but that’s football.

“If I had played more minutes, I’m convinced I would have scored more goals.”

Instead of becoming frustrated, Piroe focused on improving every day.

“Everyone wants to play every minute, but sometimes you have to turn a difficult situation into a positive one. That’s what I’ve tried to do, and hopefully I can show that this season.”

A harsh Premier League reality check

Piroe admits Leeds’ opening fixtures quickly highlighted the step up in quality.

Following an encouraging opening-day performance against Everton, Leeds travelled to face Arsenal, where Piroe came up against defensive duo William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.

“That was my real ‘Welcome to the Premier League’ moment,” he admitted.

“After Everton we thought we could really compete, but Arsenal showed us just how high the level is.”

Historic victory at Old Trafford

One of the highlights of Leeds’ campaign came with a famous victory over fierce rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford—the club’s first league win there since 1981.

“It was unbelievable,” Piroe said.

“You could feel how much the rivalry meant to both sets of supporters. Winning there after so many years made it even more special.”

Looking ahead to 2026/27

With another Premier League campaign approaching, Leeds are aiming to improve on last season’s 14th-place finish.

“The team’s goal is to match last season at the very least and hopefully push closer to the top 10.”

Personally, Piroe wants to show just how much he has developed.

“I want to prove I’ve adapted to the Premier League and can take the next step.”

Future remains at Leeds United

Despite attracting interest from clubs including Paris FC, Celtic, FC Twente, and Ipswich Town, Piroe insists his focus remains firmly on Leeds.

“I wanted to face the challenge instead of walking away after six months.”

“I still see my future at Leeds.”

The striker acknowledged that discussions during pre-season will help determine his role but remains committed to proving himself.

“If I get my opportunity and show how much I’ve improved, I’ll be very happy. If not, we’ll see what happens.”

Learning from Van Nistelrooy

Piroe believes working alongside legendary strikers Ruud van Nistelrooy and Roy Makaay has played a huge role in his development.

“The biggest thing they teach is the small details.”

Van Nistelrooy, in particular, emphasised repetition and creating habits in front of goal.

“He always talked about mastering two types of finishes so that when the chance comes, your decision becomes automatic.”

Inspired by football’s greatest strikers

Asked to build the perfect striker, Piroe named Ronaldo Nazário, Robert Lewandowski, Luis Suárez, and Zlatan Ibrahimović as his biggest influences.

From Lewandowski he admires movement inside the penalty area, while Suárez’s instinct for goal and Ronaldo’s creativity stand out most.

“R9’s flair and imagination were on another level.”

Representing Suriname

After representing the Netherlands at youth level, Piroe eventually chose to play for Suriname, describing it as one of the biggest decisions of his career.

He made his senior debut during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, although Suriname narrowly missed out on reaching the tournament.

Former Leeds United striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, now part of Suriname’s coaching staff, played an important role in helping Piroe make his decision.

“We spoke a lot about football, Leeds and my future.”

Watching smaller nations such as Cape Verde compete on the international stage has only strengthened his ambition.

“That’s where we want to be one day. Seeing countries like Cape Verde compete shows it’s possible if you keep believing.”