“If moving to Blackburn is the opportunity” - Leeds United urged to make ruthless Patrick Bamford transfer decision | OneFootball

Leeds United have been told to allow Patrick Bamford to leave the club this month amid interest from Blackburn Rovers.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Leeds United have been told that the club and Patrick Bamford could benefit if the striker secures a move away from Elland Road ahead of the transfer deadline.

The 31-year-old has experienced a lot with the Whites since his arrival in 2018, which included starring under Marcelo Bielsa as Leeds won promotion to the Premier League, and then secured a top ten finish.

However, the past few years have been much tougher for both Bamford and Leeds, with the ex-Middlesbrough man managing just ten Championship appearances this season, and he is yet to find the back of the net.

Patrick Bamford transfer latest

Injury issues continue to hinder the once-capped England international, who is currently out with a hamstring complaint.

Nevertheless, there has been speculation surrounding Bamford’s future, with Blackburn thought to be keen on the forward, who could return to action by the end of the month.

Yet, reports have claimed that Daniel Farke is reluctant to sanction Bamford’s exit, as fellow attacking option Joe Gelhardt is set to join Hull City.

But, when quizzed by FLW on whether that was the right stance, fan pundit Kris Smith made it clear that he would let Bamford go if Leeds could find a replacement, as he also tipped the player to benefit from a fresh start.

“For me, the ship has truly sailed for Bamford at Leeds in terms of him being a realistic option for us going forward. It’s not Bamford’s fault though, the only reason this is an issue is that he just cannot stay fit at all for a sustained period of time.

“The idea of a fully fit, sharp Bamford is a really good one, especially in the Championship - we saw that from January to March last season under Farke. And, that player is one that Leeds ought to keep hold of, but the idea that Bamford is that sort of player for us is so far from the current reality.

“That does make me wonder why we are still keeping him, and plugging away at that happening. It just doesn’t look likely that he is ever going to reach those levels again.

“Luke Ayling’s move to Middlesbrough last January showed to me that there is life beyond this Leeds era for that old guard, and that includes Bamford. If moving to Blackburn is the opportunity for him to go out and put to one side his struggles at Leeds, then I think we should consider letting him leave for himself, providing we obviously source a replacement.

“Joe Gelhardt going to Hull probably makes Farke’s mind up on Bamford staying, which is frustrating really, for both the player and the club. But, we’ve got a valuable space in this squad which is currently being taken up by somebody who really isn’t offering us anything at the moment because he is constantly injured.”

Most would agree that in an ideal world, Leeds would let Bamford go and bring in a new number nine in this window.

However, it’s not always that straightforward, and Farke’s certainly right to insist on keeping Bamford until he knows that a replacement is found.

We know that this is a difficult time to sign players, and it’s especially tricky for Leeds, as they will want players who will be good enough in the Premier League, as the aim and expectation is to return to the top-flight.

So, a lot needs to fall in place for this to happen, and it seems likely that Bamford will remain at Elland Road beyond the deadline. Then, the focus will switch to keeping him fit and available, as he could still make a big contribution to the promotion push this season.