Leeds United: Sky Sports pundit makes Patrick Bamford transfer claim | OneFootball

Patrick Bamford has failed to start in either of Leeds United's opening league games this season

Highlights

Don Goodman believes that Patrick Bamford will stay and fight for his place in the Leeds United squad amid a lack of game time to start the new season.

Bamford has been selected on the bench in both of the Whites’ opening two league fixtures, coming on for a total of just 24 minutes of action so far (all stats from Fbref).

The 30-year-old did start in Daniel Farke’s side for the 3-0 loss to Middlesbrough in the first round of the EFL Cup.

However, the performance wasn’t enough to earn him a place in the side for their 0-0 draw against West Brom last Saturday.

Bamford struggled for consistent game time last year as well, starting 15 of his 33 league appearances in Leeds’ promotion push.

Goodman makes Bamford transfer claim

Goodman believes that Bamford will back himself to fight for his place in Farke’s side this season instead of seeking a move elsewhere.

He has claimed that the forward just needs to get fit and firing again to cement himself back in the team ahead of Mateo Joseph, who started the draw at the Hawthorns following Georginio Rutter’s impending move to Brighton.

“It’s a difficult one because as a player, you’d back yourself every time to win that starting position,” said Goodman, via MOT Leeds United News.

“If any player doesn’t do that, it’s not a player worth keeping.

“[Joel] Piroe isn’t a true number nine – more of a hybrid with a 10 – and he’ll be desperate to prove his worth after an ‘okay’ season last season.

“For Bamford, it’s all about the injuries with him.

“A fully fit, fully firing Bamford would be Daniel Farke’s first choice, but with all the injuries he’s had and the pre-season Mateo Joseph had, it makes sense to go with the latter.

“If Bamford is slightly considering leaving, it means he’s not backing himself to earn back his spot and for me that is not a positive.”

Leeds United’s forward options

According to The Argus, Rutter is set to complete his £40 million move to Brighton soon, which will leave Leeds without a key player from last season.

The Frenchman contributed six goals and 16 assists, and played in 45 of the team’s 46 regular league games as the team finished third in the table.

Joel Piroe and Joseph started the draw away to West Brom, before Bamford came in the closing stages.

However, it is also likely Leeds will be in the market for a replacement for Rutter before the transfer window closes on 30 August.

Bamford is falling down the pecking order at Leeds

If Bamford wants to compete consistently, then perhaps a move away from Elland Road would be the right decision.

However, he has every reason to still want to fight for his place as he did start the calendar year in great form and he may feel he can get back to that level again soon.

He bagged seven goals in the first 10 league games of 2024, which was crucial to closing the gap to the top two in their promotion battle.

But a dip in the final weeks of the campaign saw him score just one more from seven last appearances, and now there is a real doubt over his game time due to Joseph leapfrogging him in the pecking order.