West Ham New Boy Joel Piroe Risks Leeds Backlash Over City Comments
West Ham United striker Joel Piroe may have ruffled feathers back in Yorkshire after claiming that London is a superior city to Leeds. The 27-year-old forward joined the Hammers on an initial loan deal from Leeds United during the summer transfer window, with a permanent move set to trigger if the club secures promotion back to the Premier League.
Piroe, who scored on his debut against Charlton Athletic and won a penalty during a mid-week 4-2 victory over Wolves, has quickly found his feet under manager Nuno Espirito Santo. The Suriname international dropped back into the second tier to secure regular playing time after finding minutes hard to come by at Elland Road last season.
Speaking to Dutch outlet De Voetbalkantine, Piroe opened up about his transition to the capital and did not hold back when comparing his new surroundings to his former home.
”London is obviously a much nicer city than Leeds,” Piroe said. “And West Ham has a team worthy of the Premier League. Just look at the stadium… Sold out, 60,000 fans, that’s not exactly the norm in the Championship. Especially in London, where West Ham United isn’t the biggest or most popular club.”
The forward highlighted his desire to kickstart his career as the primary driving force behind his move to E20, setting an ambitious personal target for the campaign.
”I feel like the Championship gave me the best opportunities to play a lot of matches,” he added. “When you play a lot, you can showcase your qualities. That’s the main reason I chose a Championship team. You can play plenty of games and quickly find your rhythm. My goal is to score 20 goals.”
Piroe is one of several summer arrivals alongside former Leeds teammate Manor Solomon and late deadline-day additions Morato and Adama Boiro. Club captain Jarrod Bowen praised the club’s recruitment efforts ahead of Saturday’s fixture against Derby County at the London Stadium, emphasizing the strong character within the squad as they aim to push for immediate promotion.