Carlton Palmer surprised at Leeds United Patrick Bamford transfer decision amid ‘terrible’ verdict
Carlton Palmer is surprised Leeds United opted not to sell Patrick Bamford in the summer window after suggesting he has “fallen off” as a result of a “terrible” injury record.
Leeds raked in over £100million through player sales with the likes of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter sold for big money, but striker Bamford was not among those to move onto new pastures.
Former Whites midfielder Palmer, speaking to Football League World (3 September), thinks Bamford’s qualities are on the wane, though acknowledged his injury record has played a part.
“Leeds United were left with Patrick Bamford. With all the departures from the football club this summer, Patrick Bamford stayed,” Palmer said.
“He’s proven that he can score goals in the Championship. In the 2019/20 season, he played 45 games, the most he’s ever played in a season, and scored 16 goals, before scoring 17 goals in a 38-game Premier League season.
“But since then, it’s been terrible with injuries. In 2021/22, nine games and two goals in the Premier League. 2022/23, 28 games and four goals. Last season, 33 games and eight goals. He has fallen off.
“I was surprised that he didn’t leave the football club because you need somebody who can score you 20 goals and be fit to play those games, and unfortunately for Patrick, he’s not been able to do that in the last few seasons.”
Leeds United could look at selling Patrick Bamford in January
After drawing their opening two league matches, back-to-back victories have propelled Leeds in fourth place and they are unbeaten in the Championship heading into the first international break.
The summer transfer window was full of change for the West Yorkshire outfit with several of their better players exiting the club, with the aforementioned trio of Gray, Summerville and Rutter all now playing in the Premier League.
Many expected the Whites to gain promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking and their failure to do so proved costly in terms of retaining players.
Farke and his squad are desperate to right those wrongs this time around and get back to the top flight this time around.
The return of Joe Rodon and the additions of Manor Solomon, Largie Ramazini and Ao Tanaka to their ranks means Leeds are well stocked to make sure this becomes a reality.
There is still plenty of time left in the campaign for things to go wrong of course, but, for now at least, everything looks to be on the up in West Yorkshire.
In other Leeds news, Darren Bent was blown away by the ‘big’ Willy Gnonto contract news.
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