"Relieved" - Middlesbrough issued clear transfer verdict on mooted Leeds United reunion | OneFootball

"Relieved" - Middlesbrough issued clear transfer verdict on mooted Leeds United reunion | OneFootball

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·13 de agosto de 2025

"Relieved" - Middlesbrough issued clear transfer verdict on mooted Leeds United reunion

Imagen del artículo:"Relieved" - Middlesbrough issued clear transfer verdict on mooted Leeds United reunion

FLW's Middlesbrough fan pundit has been discussing Boro reportedly not holding an interest in bringing Leeds forward Patrick Bamford back to Teesside.

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...


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A potential reunion that would see Leeds United forward Patrick Bamford returning to Middlesbrough has been shot down.

Whispers were going round on Monday, particularly among Middlesbrough circles, that Boro were lining up a move for the Leeds striker.

However, a report from The Northern Echo on Tuesday poured cold water on those suggestions, confirming that the 31-year-old is not a player on Middlesbrough's radar this summer.

The Teessiders are very much looking for another centre-forward to add to Rob Edwards' squad before the 1 September deadline, but it doesn't appear that the one-time England international will be that player.

Middlesbrough issued clear Patrick Bamford transfer stance

Imagen del artículo:"Relieved" - Middlesbrough issued clear transfer verdict on mooted Leeds United reunion

We asked our Middlesbrough fan pundit, Liam Day: 'There's no interest in bringing Patrick Bamford back to Boro from Leeds according to local reports - are you relieved at that news?'

Liam said: "I'm very relieved at the news that Patrick Bamford isn't signing.

"He's 31 now. He's not really played too much previously, and it's similar to the Danny Ings one, where it's a bit like: 'what are we doing?'

"Rob Edwards has made it clear that he wants his strikers to press, he wants his team to press; Bamford and Ings just wouldn't do that.

"I'm very happy we're not signing Patrick Bamford. I really, really enjoyed watching him when he was here, but that was a long, long time ago.

"He did alright, obviously, but right now, he's not played much recently. At his age, realistically, he's not going to be a good investment.

"If we got him for free, which is something that was mentioned, then that would've been fine. But he'd be on big wages as well - £70k-a-week *per Capology* - and it just doesn't seem like a deal that was worth doing at all.

"I'm very relieved that signing is not happening."

Middlesbrough are doing the right thing avoiding Bamford reunion

Imagen del artículo:"Relieved" - Middlesbrough issued clear transfer verdict on mooted Leeds United reunion

It so often seems to be the case in football that a player fails to recapture the form and live up to expectations when returning to a former club; reunions don't always have fairytale endings.

Bamford was once a beloved figure on Teesside, having first joined Middlesbrough on a season-long loan deal from Chelsea for the 2014/15 season.

The striker made 44 total appearances in all competitions for Boro that season, scoring 19 goals and providing a further three assists - numbers that hadn't been seen from a Middlesbrough forward in some years at that time.

He played his part in Boro's FA Cup giant-killing win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, and there undeniably was something about the then-England youth international that captivated supporters, and made him a real fans' favourite in the North East.

Time with Crystal Palace, Norwich City and Burnley respectively would follow for him, but in January 2017 and with evidently no first-team pathway for him at Stamford Bridge, Bamford delighted the Riverside faithful with news of his return.

At the time, Boro were looking to bolster their cutting edge in attack in order to equip themselves with the firepower necessary to avoid Premier League relegation, and signed him permanently for around £5.5m.

However, he would only score once in eight Premier League outings for Boro, as the club fell to top-flight relegation. He would remain with the club in the second tier for the 2017/18 season, scoring 11 times, but there were already signs then that he wasn't quite the same player the Teesside faithful once knew.

Now having been with Leeds United since they splurged up to £10m to sign him from Middlesbrough in the summer of 2018, his last few years at Elland Road have really seen him struggle for both goals, fitness, and a place in the starting XI.

As such, if Middlesbrough want another centre-forward to really push Tommy Conway and who can be relied upon to stay fit and find the net when called upon, Bamford, unfortunately, doesn't appear to be a player Boro could hang their hat on to provide those qualities anymore.

Boro saw the risks involved when signing a veteran striker whose best days are likely behind them in Kelechi Iheanacho last season, and there are surely wiser and safer investments for the Teessiders to make this summer.

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