Patrick Bamford is one of the Leeds United players facing an uncertain summer.
Bamford missed both of Leeds’ final two regular season games, as well as the whole play-offs, after suffering an injury in an April win over Middlesbrough.
Though Leeds won 11 of the 15 games Bamford started during the regular season, this is the third year in a row that he has been injured in the final stages.
Clearly, this current issue was a freak, given it was only initially diagnosed as severe bruising, but he just cannot be relied on throughout the course of a protracted Championship campaign.
However, following Leeds’ defeat to Southampton in the play-off final on Sunday, Bamford might be among the players who leave this summer, six years after joining Boro.
Bamford reveals ‘bonkers’ Ezgjan Alioski verdict following time at Leeds.
Bamford’s recent years have been far from ideal, and while he has always divided opinion at Elland Road, there is no disputing he played an important role in Marcelo Bielsa’s triumph.
That promotion-winning team will live on in Leeds legend, especially after this season’s failure given the quality of the squad.
Over the previous few years, more and more members of Bielsa’s team have left, with the departures of Liam Cooper, Stuart Dallas, Luke Ayling, and possibly even Bamford this summer effectively ending that period.
Pablo Hernandez, Gaetano Berardi, and Ezgjan Alioski were the first three Leeds players to leave after only one season in the Premier League.
And on the most recent episode of the ‘My Mate’s A Footballer Podcast’, Bamford stated that the latter is someone he would have despised playing against.
He said, “Do you remember we had a left fullback named Alioski? He was absolutely insane. You’d love him on your squad, but you’d despise him if he was on the other side. Honestly, he was amusing in the locker room and a great guy.”
Who else might depart Leeds this summer?
As previously stated, this summer feels like the end of an era at Leeds, with three of the old guard, Cooper, Dallas, and Ayling, going.
However, after missing out on promotion, Bamford is not the only one who may be leaving.
Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray, Willy Gnonto, and Georginio Rutter have all been linked with departures, putting Leeds in for a massive rebuilding task when the window reopens.
LeedsUnited.News has forecast the future of all 36 players currently on Leeds’ roster, and there are more who could go this summer than you think.
