West Ham sign Joel Piroe on season-long loan from Leeds

West Ham United have signed Joel Piroe from Leeds United on a season-long loan, adding a proven Championship scorer to their squad. BBC Sport reported the completed move on Wednesday, while West Ham's official announcement said the agreement includes an obligation to make the transfer permanent in the summer of 2027.

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The 27-year-old striker will wear West Ham's No. 9 shirt. The club said Piroe has scored 73 goals across four Championship seasons with Swansea City and Leeds, a record that gives head coach Nuno Espirito Santo an experienced option as West Ham pursue a return to the Premier League. No financial terms were disclosed in the club announcement.

Piroe's most productive recent Championship campaign came in 2024-25, when he scored 19 league goals and finished as the division's leading marksman as Leeds won the title. West Ham's account of his career says he scored 44 times during two seasons at Swansea before adding 33 goals across two seasons with Leeds, helping the Yorkshire club earn promotion.

Born in the Netherlands, Piroe developed in PSV Eindhoven's academy before moving to Swansea in the summer of 2021. He joined Leeds in 2023 and later represented Suriname at senior international level. His move to London keeps him in the Championship and places him with another club targeting promotion.

Piroe said he was delighted to complete the move and believes his experience can help West Ham achieve their objectives. He also said director of player recruitment Nils Koppen and Nuno had explained the club's short- and long-term goals, as well as how the team is expected to be set up.

West Ham described Piroe as a priority target because of his scoring record, finishing ability and Championship experience. The loan structure gives the club an immediate attacking addition for the current campaign, with the obligation already setting out a route for the transfer to become permanent next summer.