Leeds United kicked off their pre-season tour this past weekend. The club saw a hard fought draw with Manchester United in front of a crowd at Stockholm.
The game showed how well Daniel Farke’s side can perform against Premier League opposition. The Leeds boss was pleased with the performance on Saturday, considering how it was the first time many of these players were on the same pitch together. It was the press conference after the game that got a lot of headlines.
Farke made a shock admission, revealing that Patrick Bamford is not in his plans this season.
”I had a really open and honest conversation with him. Patrick knows how much I value him as a player.
He knows how much I rate him as a person so I felt it was my duty to have a very open and honest conversation right now straight away.
Second day of pre-season I told him he wasn’t in my plans for the Premier League season due to the fact he had difficult years in the last years.”
QUIZ: Can you name these 10 Leeds United players from the 2000s?
[freshpress-quiz id=”31999″]
Leeds United will need a Bamford replacement
Nobody knows what will happen with Patrick Bamford after this news, but it is likely he leaves the club.
It now makes a lot of sense for the Whites to bring in another center forward this summer. Lukas Nmecha featured in the friendly, and showed some flashes of his game. But just like Piroe, it looks like the German will not provide the cutting edge, which the club will need in the Premier League.
Callum Wilson ‘waiting’ on Leeds
Credit: Imago
One of Leeds’ targets this summer is Callum Wilson.
The Whites have reached out to the former Newcastle man, who will make a decision on his future soon. According to The Sun, it is believed that the 33-year old is willing to sign a deal to prove that he can still play at the top level. The report indicates that Wilson is ‘hoping’ to land a ”pay-as-you-play” offer at Elland Road.
Can Wilson still lead the line?
A deal based on appearances will be the best for Leeds United considering Wilson’s injury history. But the question remains if the striker can still find the back of the net. Last season, he scored just once in all competitions.
But his minutes were very limited – in the 2023/24 league season, he scored nine goals. This shows that he can do a job when called upon. And with rotation options in Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe, this move might end up being a smart one for the club.
