Leeds United sit third in the Championship table and have only been outscored by Middlesbrough this season. However, their strikers are not scoring the bulk of the goals with Joel Piroe heading the scoring charts with seven. However, four of those goals came as a substitute and he is not hitting the back of the net regularly as a starter. Mateo Joseph, who started the first eight league games, has scored just twice and Patrick Bamford has been as good as non-existent this season.
Bamford is the third-choice striker in the Leeds squad but has played just 77 minutes of football. The 31-year-old has had injuries and Daniel Farke has shown little faith in the forward this season.
With Joseph and Piroe struggling to be consistent, Bamford would have expected to step up but then the striker is yet to score and doesn’t seem like breaking his duck any time soon.
Leeds are sailing through because the goals have been evenly distributed across the team but eventually, they would need their strikers to step up and score the bulk of the goals if they are to get promoted to the Premier League this season.
Joseph and Piroe are doing a serviceable job but Bamford has not pulled his weight and it is time Leeds try to find a replacement and upgrade for him, probably in the upcoming transfer window.
A Patrick Bamford replacement should be a priority in January
Bamford still has more than 18 months left on his contract but it doesn’t seem he will ever get back to the levels that made him a favourite of former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa.
His fitness has been an issue and several injuries over the last few years have diminished his physical ability. Leeds need to move on from him as soon as possible.
Leeds need to find a solution and ensure that they move the striker on in the winter window and bring in a quality replacement for him in the winter window.
The Whites may need to come to an agreement to terminate his contract and allow Bamford to continue his career somewhere else.
They need an upgrade in the winter window and Leeds have been linked with Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Dor Turgeman.
According to Sport5, Leeds are interested in getting their hands on the forward in the January transfer window.
Turgeman is an international teammate of Leeds United winger Manor Solomon and would be keen on the move to Elland Road.
It has been claimed that it could take as little as £4.1m to take the striker to Elland Road in January. However, the Israeli giants are keen to hold on to him at least until the end of the season.
Leeds would have to find a way to convince Maccabi Tel Aviv to sell a striker in the middle of the season who has scored nine times in 16 appearances in the ongoing campaign.
Turgeman is only 21 and would be an investment in a young forward who could provide more depth in the attacking third in a close promotion race this season.
What kind of striker will Daniel Farke prefer?
It is hard to envisage Leeds signing a typical number 9 as an upgrade for Bamford. Farke’s style of football needs a striker who will be ready to be part of every phase of play.
The reason the Leeds boss prefers Joel Piroe because of his willingness to get involved in the game and try to create chances for his teammates as well.
When Bamford’s body was not ravaged by injuries he was a similar striker who got involved in the play. Leeds need a younger and fitter version of him rather than a typical centre-forward.
Farke is unlikely to add a typical number 9 to his squad in the January transfer window for the sake if it as he rarely changes his game plan and tactics.
Leeds will need to bring in someone who can adapt to Farke’s style while ensuring that he can make an immediate impact on their fate this season.
