With the transfer window reaching its final stages, one Leeds United player faces a crucial moment that could define his future at Elland Road.
Despite him being one of Leeds’ highest scoring players ever, the arrival of new strikers has pushed him down the pecking order.
The threat of becoming a forgotten man is very real, with him now featuring for the Under-21 side – a clear indication he is no longer part of Daniel Farke’s plans.
This is a sentiment shared by talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan, who has brutally labelled him ‘not fit for purpose’ as Leeds target staying up this season.
A move away from the club this summer may be the best option for all involved, rather than his career ticking away playing for the youth team.
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Why an Elland Road exit is best for Patrick Bamford’s legacy
Daniel Farke brutally told Patrick Bamford he isn’t part of this season’s plans, earlier this month, with Farke saying he had to call time on Bamford’s seven-year spell at the club.
“I had a really open and honest conversation with Patrick, which was important,” Farke said. “He knows how much I rate him as a player and I would have preferred a fit Patrick Bamford for the last two seasons.
“But he is a player who needs to be the main man. He needs an arm round the shoulder after some difficult seasons. I was not willing to tell him he was the main man at Premier League level.
“In the second day of pre-season, I got him into my office and told him he is not in my plans for the upcoming season.
“It would have been easy for me to hide behind the sporting director or wait until we got someone else in, but he has done so much for this club, he deserves respect and transparency.”
Bamford’s next Championship move has already been suggested, with a few potential destinations for the 31-year-old, which would surely be better than fading into the background at Elland Road.
Bamford may also not want to stick around and see himself fall further down the pecking order, with new attacking signings like Lukas Nmecha being tipped to become Leeds United’s next Patrick Bamford.
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Patrick Bamford’s potential next destination away from Elland Road
Patrick Bamford had hoped to play for England again, hence his formidable pre-season efforts to get fit but now the question of which club he will be at the end of the window is up for debate.
While Bamford has been open to an MLS switch and Wrexham have been linked with a sensational move, his reported wages of around £70,000 a week are a significant obstacle to any permanent transfer.
As one of the highest earners at Leeds, his salary is likely well beyond the budget of a club like Stoke City, which journalist Graham Smyth suggested as a potential destination.
Smyth, on an episode of The Square Ball podcast, expressed his doubts about an MLS move, citing Bamford’s age, injury struggles, and high wages, which he feels do not fit the profile of a typical ‘Designated Player.’
Therefore, a loan deal is the most probable solution, in which Leeds would likely have to subsidise a large portion of his weekly salary to make the move affordable for the new club.
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