Social media can be an absolutely fantastic tool for any Leeds United player, but Patrick Bamford has seen his fair share of the darker side of that when football isn’t so forgiving.
The Leeds United striker has missed some high-profile penalties in a white shirt, leading to fans turning up outside of his house in the past, but Patrick Bamford has thicker skin in 2025.
A miss against Newcastle United caused that but Arsenal and Stoke City are among the other moments Leeds supporters can point to as pivotal over the last few seasons.
Wrexham have been linked to Bamford, but the Leeds striker may wish to fight for a Premier League place. However, the 31-year-old is into the last year of his contract at Elland Road after seven years with the club.
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Patrick Bamford admits social media difficulty at Leeds United
Bamford thinks the Premier League suits him better but he could look for a fresh start and new opportunity this summer. He has had some of the best highs with Leeds but some difficult periods as well.
The histrionics of fans on social media used to get to him more, but Bamford is both older and wiser now, learning how to switch off from the noise and drama.
He was asked by Ben Foster on the ‘Fozcast – The Ben Foster Podcast’ and explained his thoughts. Foster asked: “Do you think people listen to the outside noise too much? Do you reckon players get on social media too much?”
He said: “You know what? I think it’s the young ones. When I was younger, I used to do it a little bit as well. It used to hack me off a lot. What’s this fan saying?
“And especially with Leeds, they’re either really high or really, really low. So, some players do get quite a lot of abuse sometimes, especially if they have a bad game.
“I feel like, if you’ve not been at Leeds for a long time, and you’re young, it can really pile onto you. Obviously, I’ve been at Leeds seven or eight years and I’m a bit older now. You kind of learn to brush it off a little bit and know that it’s gonna go up.
“When I was younger, it was quite new. It was relatively new to football and everyone kind of getting on it. It was one of those trend things, as a youngster you wanna get on it, you want to be busy on it. I think as I’ve grown up I’ve cared less about it.”
The 2024/25 season could have been his last with the club, as Bamford is open to an MLS switch among other things. With Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph at the club, and with Leeds likely to add more to the striking department, Bamford could be looking for a new challenge.
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Patrick Bamford’s Leeds United future in question
Bamford turns 32 this September and he has started just one cup game all season long. He is also thought to be one of the highest earners at the club.
Helping them gain another promotion could be seen as the perfect way to end his career in West Yorkshire, and a parting of ways could therefore be on the cards this summer — in spite of how important his presence is in the dressing room and the vital experience he brings.
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2018/19 | 25 | 10 | 2 |
| 2019/20 | 47 | 16 | 4 |
| 2020/21 | 38 | 17 | 8 |
| 2021/22 | 10 | 2 | 2 |
| 2022/23 | 31 | 6 | 4 |
| 2023/24 | 36 | 9 | 2 |
| 2024/25 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
Bamford cannot stay fit, even if he has recently showed glimpses of the same player he once was for Leeds. His injury record is too poor to ignore. Of course, the ability to act as a focal point is still useful, but his game time is unlikely to increase in the top flight.
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