Leeds United should sacrifice Patrick Bamford in a bid to strengthen Daniel Farke's promotion hand | OneFootball

Leeds should look at moving on Patrick Bamford to strengthen their bid for promotion.

Leeds United have made a reasonably positive start to their 2024-25 campaign, with the Whites currently sitting in third position, two points shy of top-of-the-table Sunderland.

Having missed out on promotion via a play-off final defeat to Southampton last season, they will be keen to finish in those automatic spots this time around.

To bolster their push for automatic promotion, Leeds will be eyeing the January transfer window as a pivotal opportunity, with the potential departure of a key player likely weighing on Daniel Farke's mind.

That player is Patrick Bamford, and letting go of the injury-prone 31-year-old could prove decisive in the race for promotion.

It's time for Bamford to depart Leeds

While Bamford would surely argue he still has more to give Leeds United, it feels like the upcoming window is the right time for him to depart Elland Road.

This season he has seriously struggled for game time, with a mixture of fitness and the form of Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph seeing him limited to sparse opportunities from the bench.

Having struggled to make a consistent impact since Leeds' return to the Championship, the past 18 months have carried an air of inevitability for Bamford's future at Leeds.

This could see him move on and, with just over a year left on his contract, it may prove the Whites' final chance to cash in on the former Chelsea man.

While Bamford would be sure to have plenty of admirers, a potential issue arises with his current salary. According to Capology estimates, the Leeds number nine’s current contract sees him net around £70,000-per-week (it's not clear if reported 50-60% post-relegation cuts are considered here), which isn't feasible for most domestic clubs who would be interested, even at £30-35,000-per-week.

This would see Bamford having to take a significant wage cut and whether he is agreeable to this remains unclear.

Farke would be hopeful that he is, as the potential money freed up from a Bamford departure could be well invested in the current squad.

Bamford could make way for a new Leeds No.9

If Bamford is to leave Leeds permanently in the January window, then Farke would be well set to target a new number nine for his system.

Currently, Joseph and Piroe are sharing the striker duties, but neither of them look able to score the number of goals Leeds may need for automatic promotion and do so with the presence required. Joseph is the perfect focal point in many ways, but lacks the finishing ability of Piroe. The Dutchman, in turn, lacks physicality.

For that reason, targeting some additional support - a bit more reliable fitness-wise than Bamford - for those two could go a long way.

In terms of potential targets, Leeds would likely focus on a player with a strong goalscoring record, capable of holding up the ball and linking up play - attributes that tend to suit Farke's demanding style of play. If they are able to find this player, then Leeds could have the key to unlocking promotion and Premier League football may arrive at the second time of asking.

Bamford would leave Leeds on a good note

Since arriving from Middlesbrough for £7 million, Bamford has divided Leeds fans, but you cannot deny he was a pivotal figure under Marcelo Bielsa.

Having netted 16 goals in their promotion campaign of 2019-20, he followed that up with the best year of his career, where he scored 17 goals in the Premier League.

Bielsa unlocked his potential, but unfortunately, a series of injuries derailed his progress, and he has struggled to regain his form ever since.

Now 31, it’s clear that the time has come for him to move on, and Leeds fans would no doubt express their gratitude for his six years of service, acknowledging the crucial role he played in the club's recent successes.

The longer he stays, the further he risks tarnishing this legacy. Bamford should seek the next chapter of his career away from Leeds, opening the door to a new Elland Road hero.