Last week, Patrick Bamford revealed that he wanted to end his Leeds United career after five years, especially following the team’s relegation and the unsettling situation for his family, which included receiving death threats.
Near the end of the 2022-23 season, as United faced the threat of relegation, Bamford missed a crucial penalty at home against Newcastle United, leading to a wave of online abuse directed at him.
“I wouldn’t say it ever made me want to hang the boots up and finish football, I’ll know when the time is right for that, but at a point, when I knew my family wasn’t comfortable here, being honest at that point, I wanted to leave,” Bamford said on the 72+: The EFL Podcast.
“It wasn’t until sitting down and thinking about it, I had to make sure my missus was okay with it, and reassure her it won’t happen again by putting measures in place. I knew it was a tough one for me because, after going down, there was still unfinished business with Leeds because I felt like I hadn’t been able to contribute for the last 18 months in the Prem.
“Part of me wanted to really start somewhere new, that would almost be the easy option. Over that summer, there was a lot of thinking hard about it, having a few chats and that. In the end, I said I didn’t want to take the easy option and the easy way out.”
Is Patrick Bamford on his way out?
Football Insider reported on Monday, citing sources, that Bamford is planning to leave Leeds next summer and join a new club after growing frustrated under Daniel Farke.
The report states that the Leeds veteran’s limited playing time this season has increased the chances he might seek a move in the summer of 2025.
So far, Bamford has only appeared in four matches and started just once due to a hamstring injury that restricted his availability. As a result, his role in the squad has diminished.
The 31-year-old now finds himself behind Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph in the lineup under Farke, making a departure seem more likely. Bamford is under contract until 2026, so Leeds will either need to sell him, or both parties agree to mutually terminate the agreement.
