Despite starting slowly, Leeds United's Championship season is up and running and Daniel Farke will be delighted with the way that his side have ploughed into third-place after 15 matches.
The engine did falter at the start, however, and as a consequence, Ipswich Town are eight points clear in second, despite five victories from six matches for the Whites.
It was always going to take a while to gel together, though, with a hive of transfer activity occurring at Elland Road across the summer following Leeds' relegation from the Premier League, ending a three-year stay.
Despite losing the likes of Jack Harrison, Rodrigo and Tyler Adams (not an exhaustive list), the Yorkshire club rebuilt under Farke's command, with Joel Piroe, Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara and co all bolstering the fold, with stars such as Wilfried Gnonto and Georginio Rutter retained.
For all of the talented acquisitions, Farke will be eager to utilise the club's excellent youth influx and cherry-pick the best options to improve the performances; this has already been evidenced through the likes of 17-year-old Archie Gray, who is currently subject to £40m transfer attention from Liverpool.
There is more to come, and based on the short but sweet impression that Mateo Joseph has made this season, he might be next in line to break into the first-team.
Mateo Joseph's youth statistics
Born in Santander, Spain, Joseph enjoyed prolific success with Racing Santander as a youth before joining Espanyol in 2017, scoring 14 goals from 21 appearances across the 2021/22 campaign and earning the attention of Leeds, who completed the signing of the player in January 2022 for an undisclosed fee.
Considered a player with "great potential' by Javier Rodriguez Alonso, Joseph has now plundered 20 goals and three assists from 33 outings for Leeds' development sides, having also made six senior displays – including three appearances in the Premier League – last season.
This year, after a productive pre-season, Joseph has only featured twice in the Premier League 2 but has clinched two goals and an assist from as many matches.
The eight-cap England U20 international has also found a place on the bench in the Championship on two occasions, though he is still awaiting his first senior showing of the campaign.
His rate of scoring this term surpasses that of Patrick Bamford, with the long-time Leeds player perhaps at a crossroads in his career at the club, and could find that he is left behind as Farke's engine churns forward.
Why Mateo Joseph should replace Patrick Bamford
Bamford has completed 158 appearances for United, scoring 51 goals, and was instrumental in guiding them to the Premier League and cementing a spot in the division, but his past few campaigns have been blighted by injury and a loss of form.
Impressed by the rising star's talent, Leeds' U21 manager Michael Skubala said: "He’s in a good place, he’s scoring goals, he’s a character, but he still needs to keep working hard. His finishing ability is top-drawer. He’s been training like a warrior and you can see that in his game."
Such attributes are glowing examples of why he would succeed under Farke's wing at senior level, and it might indeed be wise to promote him to the first team with regularity in the place of Bamford, whose best days at the outfit might now be behind him.
Bamford has only featured seven times this season, though he was absent for the start of the campaign due to a hamstring injury, but having yet to receive a starting berth and score his first goal, the 30-year-old is looking increasingly expendable, with Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter both ahead in the pecking order.
The one-cap England international did have the opportunity to put his side ahead several weeks ago against Stoke City in the second tier but skied his penalty over the bar.
Division
Season
Apps
Goals
Assists
Championship
23/24
7
0
0
Premier League
22/23
28
4
2
Premier League
21/22
9
2
2
Premier League
20/21
38
17
8
Championship
19/20
45
16
4
Championship
18/19
23
9
2
*Sourced via Transfermarkt
The £70k-per-week striker still ranks among the top 11% of forwards for interceptions per 90, as per FBref, but it appears that his ship has sailed and his lack of minutes over the past several seasons could inhibit him from cementing a regular starting spot with Leeds once again.
With Joseph's dynamic skills and a prolific edge to perfectly complement the existing forwards, Bamford might find that he is playing his last year at the side, with priority handed to a player who could grow into a first-class phenom in the future.
The 20-year-old boasts 18 goals from just 28 games in the Premier League 2, and while the professional level is a whole other ballpark, he possesses the innate talent to wedge his way into Farke's plans.
Ultimately, the goal at Elland Road is to craft a campaign that will open the door to the top flight once again, and with the endeavours in the Championship confirming the squad's capability of securing a spot either in the automatics or in the play-offs, this is more than attainable.
The crux of Leeds' demise last year stemmed from the lack of stability, the wayward transfer activity, and the absence of cohesion on the pitch; now, Farke has instilled a winning mentality and will look to maintain that into the new year, and indeed beyond.
Bamford has not really contributed to this budding revival and it is hard to imagine that he will play a central role in the 2024/25 Premier League season, should Leeds secure promotion.
With Piroe and Rutter among the Whites' thriving forwards, Joseph would be an excellent addition to complement their talents and serve as an understudy.
The hope now will be to see the exciting prospect start to earn a place in the senior set-up, which could kick off a long and successful partnership.