It’s not surprising Leeds want Rodrigo Muniz – but they’ve got no chance

The Premier League new boys are working themselves up at the thought of a player they'll never get.

I logged onto X this week and I saw Muniz trending. Granted, trending topics these days are more tailored to the individual, but it did make me chuckle that enough Leeds fans were getting into a tizz about the prospect of our Brazilian signing for them.

The latest evidence? Reposting Fulham’s tweet announcing our 4-1 preseason win over Aberdeen. Apparently “Good things are coming” means he’s off to Elland Road, not that – as any sane person might expect – he is aiming to perform well for the club he is signed for.

Why am I getting a bee in my bonnet about this? Well, apart from the fact I’m rapidly becoming a cantankerous old grump anyway, I can’t bear the thought of losing Muniz, who I’ve repeatedly touted as Premier League box office.

I’m not alone, of course. The striker’s maturation in just four years has occurred right before our very eyes, and we’ve all grown to love him not just for his off-pitch antics, but the fact that he has developed a set of striking instincts that show he’s just going to get better and better.

Chances

Leeds fans (and the press) will make a mountain out of the fact that Roddy started just eight Premier League games last season (forgetting the fact he missed the final six games through injury after scoring three in his last four, a run of form that would’ve seen him add to that total).

It’s fewer starts than he’ll have hoped for after the purple patch in 2023/24 that announced his true arrival in SW6. But at just 24 years old, he’ll be aware that his progression is going exactly as planned.

Raul Jimenez is not just Muniz’s strike partner – he’s his mentor. And while the Mexican took the lion’s share of the striking duties last campaign with 30 starts, no one is expecting him to do it again in a season when he’ll turn 35.

We’ve trimmed the fat up top, letting Carlos Vinicius go, and though we are reportedly in the market to replace the forward (which is just prudence from the club), it seems to me that Rodrigo is being primed to not only wear the number nine, but to be our true nine for the foreseeable future.

Why leave?

So, why would he bother going to Leeds? To play in front of 12,000 more spectators? Their previous return to the Premier League was brief; a ninth-placed finished preceded a narrow relegation escape before a 19th-placed finish. And if Daniel Farke’s Premier League record is anything to go by, they’ll find it tough going once more. He won just six games in nearly 50 attempts as manager of Norwich.

You can, however, see why Leeds have already had a £32m bid rejected. Farke has said that 31-year-old Patrick Bamford is not in his plans for the coming season, leaving them with just Joël Piroe up top ahead of what’ll be a gruelling campaign.

Retention

The story of this summer has been about keeping our squad together. Now, sure, that’s the dominant narrative because absolutely nothing else has happened. But it’s still a vital part of pre-season preparation. Making sure Rodrigo Muniz is still our player when the transfer window slams shut should be a priority if it’s not already. I think the fact we rejected a deal that would’ve made him one of our most expensive sales already proves our resolve.

I for one can’t wait to see Muniz trending again this campaign – for all the right reasons.