Patrick Bamford exit verdict at Leeds United following previous Nottingham Forest links
Patrick Bamford leaving Leeds United this summer is “more difficult” than a number of his teammates due to his high wage and lack of obvious landing spots, says Phil Hay.
The Athletic journalist gave his view on the English striker’s future to the Square Ball on 8 June, indicating that Championship sides won’t be able to easily afford his salary.
At the same time he feels that, despite previous suggestions that Nottingham Forest held an interest in him, there is currently no clear destination in the top flight after a campaign where the 30-year-old scored nine goals, all after the turn of the year.
Hay said (13m 20s): “For Bamford it’s a little bit more difficult, partly because his wage will be high so it’s not like it’s a salary that Championship clubs can easily pick up.
“There was some talk last season January about Forest being semi-keen on Bamford, but I don’t know how much interest there would be in the Premier League as a whole at the moment.
“Of the teams who have gone up he doesn’t seem to be someone who would particularly fit Leicester or Southampton or Ipswich, and that seems to me to be one of the positions where they [Leeds United] need to think about what they are going to do.”
Will Daniel Farke move on from Leeds United striker?
Players are expected to be sold this summer but whether Bamford stays or goes it seems clear that the Whites still need to find an adequate like-for-like replacement for him.
Joel Piroe’s arrival from Swansea last summer suggested the goal-scorer the club needed had been found, but Daniel Farke’s confused usage of the Dutchman makes it hard to assess his status in the squad for next term.
Piroe scored 16 times but had periods of ineffectiveness as he was used as a number 10 early in the season and then switched in and out of the line up later in the campaign.
Either way, Bamford seemingly continues to provide the best shape to the Leeds United line-up but, despite an improvement on the fitness front, continues to suffer with inopportune injuries.
So even if he stays at Elland Road surely Farke will need to target a player who can provide the same style of play, unless the German plans to switch that up.
The emergence of Mateo Joseph last term was encouraging, but in light of how Joe Gelhardt burst onto the scene and has gradually been allowed to fade into obscurity since it will require better management of the latest young scorer before he can be seen as an established option.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are expected to secure multiple lucrative transfer clauses in a deal to sell Archie Gray.
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