Is Leeds United’s Patrick Bamford close to declaring for the Republic of Ireland?
Leeds United’s Premier League promotion bid will have to be put on hold later this month when international football takes centre stage once again.
United head coach Marcelo Bielsa will be sweating over his international players – Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Pontus Jansson, Barry Douglas, Ezgjan Alioski, Tyler Roberts, Stuart Dallas and Mateusz Klich – and will hope that all return to West Yorkshire safe and sound.
But most of all, Bielsa might be worried about Patrick Bamford.
Speaking to the FAI’s official website, Republic of Ireland boss Mick McCarthy revealed that he’ll be meeting the striker in an attempt to get Bamford to pledge allegiances to the Boys in Green, who have two international fixtures on the horizon.
Leeds can’t afford any injury to any player at this stage of the season, but this is particularly true of the 25-year-old striker and Bielsa could be forgiven for hoping that Bamford delays a decision on his international future.
With Kemar Roofe set to miss potentially six more weeks with a knee issue, the Whites’ promotion bid might well hinge on the former Middlesbrough striker, who has had an injury-ravaged first season at Elland Road following a £7 million summer move [The Daily Mail].
Bamford inspired Leeds to a brilliant 4-0 win over West Brom on Friday by scoring twice, illustrating his importance.
But if he represents the Irish and god forbid comes back injured, it could and probably would have a detrimental impact on the Championship club’s hopes of returning to the top flight.
Bielsa has had to contend with a lot of injuries throughout the season. To his credit, he has rolled with the punches so far and minimised the damage, but another one for Bamford might be the knockout that Leeds just don’t need.
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