Joël Piroe's agent, Theo Roebbers, expressed dissatisfaction with Leeds United, stating the club had unexpectedly deviated from their initial asking price for the 27-year-old Dutch-Surinamese centre-forward, making a deal very difficult. He confirmed there had been significant interest in Piroe throughout the summer and said that Strasbourg in France was one of several clubs that found a deal was no longer an option after hearing the fee. The agent added that this was also the case for Alavés in Spain and Anderlecht, noting the latter withdrew because the asking price was not in line with the market. He also mentioned that discussions with Jordi Cruijff about Ajax had occurred, but this was also not a viable option due to the transfer fee. Piroe, who has one cap for Suriname, joined Leeds from Swansea City in August 2023 for a reported €14 million and his contract is valid until June 2027. His current market value is €10.00m, according to Transfermarkt. In August 2026, Leeds' minimum asking price was reported as €18.7 million, while reports from May 2026 claimed the club was ready to sell for between £8 million and £10 million.