Leeds United supporters have become accustomed to hearing bad news regarding the availability of their talismanic number nine. What’s that, Patrick Bamford has suffered a set-back and could be out of action for another couple of weeks? In other news, water is wet.
Since striding onto the Premier League stage with 17 goals and seven assists in Marcelo Bielsa’s free-wheeling side in 2020/21 – forcing his way into Gareth Southgate’s England set-up – Bamford has started just 11 games.
He’s had ankle problems, foot issues, hamstring strains. All manners of niggles and knocks. Rumours that Bamford’s West Yorkshire home was constructed upon an ancient Indian burial ground, meanwhile, remain unconfirmed…
Leeds United need a striker with Patrick Bamford still injured
And the fact that Leeds continue to stumble along without a genuine replacement for the £7 million signing from Middlesbrough is understandably a source of real frustration among the Elland Road fanbase. Leeds, while not for a lack of trying, failed to bring in a new centre-forward last summer. The Daily Mail say that a striker is once again a top priority this month. But the January window is fraught with difficulties and potential pitfalls. Matheus Cunha, one key target, has already joined relegation rivals Wolves.
Rodrigo Moreno, while scoring his tenth goal in just 15 starts in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with West Ham, remains more of a number ten than a number nine. And Joe Gelhardt, although prodigiously talented, is still only 20. His development must be handled patiently and carefully.
And while some supporters will hark back to last summer and wonder how differently things may have worked out had Cody Gakpo boarded that flight to Yorkshire, the £37 million Liverpool newbie was not the only talented forward on Leeds’ radar during the final few hours of the summer window.
Kelechi Iheanacho crying out for Leicester City exit
Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, The Athletic say, was also ‘of interest’.
Gakpo has gone from strength to strength since the summer; scoring goals for fun at PSV before impressing at the Qatar World Cup. But you certainly can’t say the same of Iheanacho. The £25 million Nigeria international has scored one goal and started one game in the Premier League this season.
Two years on from a career-best purple patch, Iheanacho is now further than ever down the Leicester pecking order. Third choice; behind an ageing Jamie Vardy and the inconsistent Patson Daka. First-team football certainly would have been easier to come by at Leeds. Particularly given Bamford’s ongoing fitness issues.
Even the most ardent, hard-nosed Leeds supporters would have to admit that Gakpo probably made the right call rebuffing their’ interest in favour of a few more months in the Eredivisie.
Iheanacho – in contrast – feels like a player who would have benefitted immensely from a fresh start and a new challenge.
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