Patrick Bamford is the most experienced striker in the Leeds United squad and in an ideal world, he would have been taking the load of scoring the goals for the Whites that would have got them back to the Premier League. However, the 31-year-old has been a picture of frustration this season as his fragile body continues to fail him. He has not played for Leeds since New Year’s Day in January and persistent injury issues have made him a non-entity at Elland Road this season. He has made ten substitute appearances in the Championship this season and it appears he would unlikely play a major part if the Whites get promoted to the Premier League, far from the days of getting embraced by Marcelo Bielsa all those years back when he was the number 9 that led the Yorkshire giants.
Joel Piroe has been the outstanding striker for Leeds this season and his recent form means that the forward is very much in the race to win the Championship’s Golden Boot this term.
Patrick Bamford would have been a wonderful alternative striker in the squad if he was fit but the 31-year-old striker’s injuries mean that Daniel Farke has shown little faith in him to emerge as a genuine option.
He is the third-choice striker in the Leeds squad because they do not have another forward beyond Piroe and Mateo Joseph and the club would have preferred to sell him in the previous two transfer windows.
There was some hope at the
turn of the year that Bamford could play some role in the latter half of the season but injuries have again held him back and Leeds have had to pretend that he is not at the club.
‘Not ideal’ – Another injury update on Patrick Bamford
Daniel Farke must be tired of talking about Bamford’s injuries this season but in every press conference, he is forced to answer questions on his availability.
Bamford has been a non-entity for Leeds this season but his status at the club means the forward is always talked about whether he is available or unavailable
He is also the highest-paid player in the Leeds squad with wages worth up to £70,000 per week, which makes him an even more uncomfortable topic.
However, Farke has been forced to provide one more injury update on Bamford and the Leeds boss has revealed that the forward will not be returning to training with the squad for another ten days
Bamford has had one more setback in his recovery and will need more time to start sprinting and training with the rest of the squad. He is now expected to return ahead of the Sheffield United game.
“The last days [for Patrick Bamford] were not ideal. He will need another 10 days of individual rehab training”, Farke
said in a press conference.
“He won’t return to training before the Sheffield [United] game. He needs to be there with full ability to sprint and that’s not the case yet.
“We expect him to join us in team training after the Sheffield [United] game.”
Leeds must move him on in the summer
Bamford was a proven striker in the Championship and also had one outstanding campaign in the Championship but that seems ages ago at this stage of his career.
He hasn’t been fit to play regularly for two years running and it is unfair on Farke that he has been unable to add one more striker because Bamford has stuck around.
The forward will have a year left on his deal in the summer and he is entitled to stick around as Leeds would have to honour the contract they gave him.
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However, if Leeds get promoted to the Premier League they cannot afford to carry passengers and also waste any money on players who are not performing.
It’s scandalous that Leeds are carrying Bamford on a contract worth £70,000 per week without getting anything in return and they must find a way to reach a mutual agreement with the striker to terminate his deal.
Leeds will need space in their wage bill to bring in players and the 31-year-old needs to be moved on from Elland Road.
