What new Sheffield United striker Patrick Bamford was earning at Leeds United - it was eye-watering | OneFootball

Sheffield United have signed ex-Leeds United forward Patrick Bamford but his signing might not be cheap

Sheffield United have signed former Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford, but his arrival could take a hit on the Blades' wage bill if his earnings at Leeds are anything to go by.

It was revealed earlier this week that Sheffield United have signed ex-Leeds United forward Patrick Bamford, with the club in dire need of something to click at the top end of the pitch, having only scored 11 goals in their opening 15 Championship fixtures so far this season.

The 32-year-old left Leeds United in the summer by mutual consent after spending seven years in West Yorkshire, and has since been without a club, longing for a return to action with still a few years left in the tank.

Bamford, who had been somewhat of a journeyman across the EFL prior to his arrival in Leeds back in 2018, has shown that he is still capable of being a solid option in the second tier after making 17 appearances in United's promotion-winning campaign in the Championship, playing second fiddle to Joel Piroe and sometimes Mateo Joseph.

With Sheffield United now having secured the signing of the forward, he goes down as a potentially shrewd piece of business for the Blades in a time of turmoil. When it comes to wages, the 32-year-old was on a hefty sum of money at Elland Road and that could well translate to Bramall Lane.

Patrick Bamford's Leeds United pay packet will take Sheffield United fans by surprise

Bamford is obviously well-renowned throughout the EFL for the goal threat he brought throughout the years, whatever club he is at, but one season that earned him his flowers was the 2020/21 season, where the striker scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in the Premier League for Leeds, which won his one and only England cap in a 4-0 win over Andorra.

Naturally, for any player with an international cap under their belt, they are likely to demand a pretty penny when it comes to wages, and despite being in his early thirties, that was still be the case in his late days at Elland Road.

As per Capology estimates, when with Leeds, Bamford was earning $95,039 [£72,517] per week, which for any Championship player - as he has been for the last two seasons - is a very large sum of money. Comparing Bamford's last weekly wage to those currently at Bramall Lane, the forward is likely to become one of the top earners on his short-term deal if those earnings are even close to being matched.

If he is to be on a similar wage to the one he received at Leeds, then he would become the club's second-highest earner behind summer newcomer Ben Godfrey on £75,000 p/w - albeit Godfrey is on loan, and it's highly unlikely that the Blades are covering all that package.

Sheffield United obviously have plenty of talent in their ranks, many arguably better than Bamford is right now, but with the experience he has gained throughout his long-standing career, it comes as no surprise that he would walk in the door as one of the top earners.

Going down the list of names with the Blades, there is a significant drop-off in weekly wage from Godfrey to the rest of the squad as Japhet Tanganga is in second with £35,000 p/w, closely followed by Gus Hamer, Tom Davies, and Danny Ings all on £30,000 p/w.

If Bamford is to immediately be on a wage that is more than double what one of their most highly rated talents in Hamer is on, then one thing for sure is that it won't go down well with the fans, who would surely think that the money spent on Bamford's wages could be used more wisely. If it's a significantly reduced package, or even pay as you play, it would be much better received.

Patrick Bamford can turn Sheffield United's season around - a proven No.9 was needed at Bramall Lane

In contrast, the Blades' attack has shown clear signs of struggle this season, with the club's top goalscorer in the league being Callum O'Hare on four goals. This highlights the need for attacking reinforcements, and Patrick Bamford may well be the answer. Chris Wilder has made no secret of the fact he is lacking a more traditional No.9 to lead the line for the club in their fight for survival.

The deal for Bamford is a short-term move until January in order to see how the striker gets on. His last game came in early May this year, and it's fair to say his final season at Leeds was one of his least fruitful. He didn't score and many of his appearances were cameos from the bench, albeit useful ones as the club pushed over the 100 Championship points.

If Chris Wilder can get a fully fit Bamford firing, then he could quickly become one of the Championship's hottest prospects again. We have seen that before in his career, and he could somewhat justify his decent earnings with a hot streak in-front of goal.

If Wilder is able to get the best out of the 32-year-old, something we should not rule out after seeing the likes of Kieffer Moore and Oli McBurnie, at a similar age, currently having tremendous seasons for Wrexham and Hull City respectively.

The ex-England international may have had to bite the bullet to get a deal at Sheffield United and settle for a lower weekly wage. He can't expect the same treatment as he received at Leeds, and will know he's been on the decline. The platform to perform and set up his next move to see out his career could well outweigh any chance of earning his Leeds wage.

All in all, the signing of Bamford can be viewed as a decent piece of business in the short-term. He is likely to bring experience, leadership, and could well be the difference in turning around their season, which has been one to forget if he can get amongst the goals as he did at the start of 2024 for Leeds. Even if his wages are still a lot, it's not a long-term commitment and represents something fairly low-risk for Sheffield United in their hour of need.