Graham Smyth says he has ‘heard nothing to suggest’ 29-year-old will leave Leeds this summer

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Graham Smyth has claimed it would be a huge ‘surprise’ if Patrick Bamford was to leave Leeds United this summer.

Smyth was speaking on the latest episode of the Inside Elland Road Podcast, where he discussed the possibility of Bamford leaving this summer following a report from the Daily Mail.

The Mail claimed Bamford is among a host of players expected to leave West Yorkshire before the end of the window after Leeds’ relegation to the Championship.

Bamford endured an extremely difficult end to last season as he missed a host of big chances in crucial matches that ultimately proved costly from Leeds’ point of view.

Unfortunately those missed opportunities resulted in Bamford being on the end of some toxic abuse across social media, which prompted him to deactivate his Twitter account.

Smyth says he has ‘heard nothing to suggest’ Bamford will leave Leeds

As such, an exit for Bamford could be what’s needed for all parties, though Smyth says there has been nothing concrete to suggest he will be leaving this summer.

“I almost think if we were going to see something with Bamford we might have heard more about it already. He’s got a very high profile agent who is connected enough that the top names in transfer journalism would’ve been talking about it by now.

“It would come as a Wober-esque surprise to me if Bamford went at this stage unless of course Leeds get a nine in and that changes the picture so considerably that Bamford thinks I’m not going to play. I’ve heard nothing to suggest he’s off as of yet, so we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Regardless of whether Bamford stays or goes, Leeds are in need of a new first-choice number nine before the end of the window who can provide a consistent supply of goals.

Particularly in the Championship, Bamford can still play some sort of a role this season, but given his fitness record over the last two years, he cannot be relied on consistently.

Playing second fiddle to someone else could be exactly what Bamford needs to reignite his career at Elland Road, as it would take a vast amount of the pressure and spotlight off his shoulders, which he has clearly struggled with.