Get all the latest Leeds United news from Elland Road.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Leeds United are in third place in the Championship, vying for automatic promotion.
- Striker Patrick Bamford has come under fire for his recent bad performances and goal drought.
- Leeds and Leicester missed out on signing Koni De Winter when Genoa made his loan agreement permanent.
Leeds United are third in the Championship heading into next week’s match against Middlesbrough, the first of three remaining games this season.
Daniel Farke’s side had been the best team in the division before the international break, but they were defeated at home in the league for the first time by Blackburn Rovers at a vital juncture in the season.
Under his direction, the Whites were among the early favourites for promotion this season, and they are still in contention as they compete with Leicester City and Ipswich Town for two automatic promotion spots.
Despite their recent poor results, they are in capable hands with the former Norwich City manager, who has won the Championship twice. Leeds have taken five of the last 15 available points in their pursuit of the Premier League.
Farke himself is looking for a third promotion from the second division in as many years, but the race for promotion is nearing its end, with the run-in heating up and only a few weeks remaining in the season.
Leeds’ final three games are against Middlesbrough (A), QPR (A), and Southampton (H). However, as those games approach, we’ve compiled a list of the most recent news and stories from Elland Road.
Frank McAvennie’s Patrick Bamford verdict
Frank McAvennie has criticized Patrick Bamford as the Leeds striker continues to struggle for Farke in the Championship, failing to score a single goal in his past six appearances.
Fans are understandably dissatisfied, and analyst McAvennie shared their concerns, telling Football Insider that Bamford should be doing much more right now.
“I didn’t expect that defeat (against Blackburn). I expected Leeds to take the initiative. Bamford looked terrible. I saw him walk around, and he looked dreadful. I don’t enjoy seeing strikers walk around like that.
“He missed a few key shots throughout the game, and I was thinking that if he was focused on the game, he wouldn’t have missed them. He needs to get his act together since he is the main point for Leeds right now. There are a lot of good guys, and they are creating opportunities for him.
“Bamford needs to lead the line and hold up the ball. The major issue was that he was dropping the ball frequently and not fighting hard enough to regain it.
Leeds and Leicester missed out on Koni De Winter.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Genoa has triggered a provision to sign Koni De Winter on a permanent basis from fellow Italian side Juventus.
When the first loan deal was signed, the two teams agreed on a cost of €8 million, and this permanent option will be activated once an appearance-based stipulation is reached.
Top-tier clubs Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United have been linked with a bid for him, as have Championship promotion rivals Leeds and Leicester City.
All of this, however, is pointless for the clubs involved in the pursuit of De Winter, as the Belgian international has agreed to join his current loan team permanently.
Gus Poyet’s Championship Promotion Verdict
With only a few games left in the regular season, the struggle for automatic promotion is about to end dramatically. That may not have been the case if Leeds had capitalized on their recent domination, something Poyet believes would be a source of discontent for people at Elland Road.
Poyet told Football League World: “They have missed opportunities to take the lead and push on.”
“It will be a source of anxiety as they approach the final few games knowing they could have had more control over the situation.
“I believe there will be more twists and Leeds can finish the job.
“They need to perform at the level they did earlier in 2024 and get an automatic spot.”
