Popular former MK Dons loanee deemed surplus to requirements at Leeds United
The 31-year-old is training with the U21s at Elland Road
Former MK Dons loanee Patrick Bamford looks set to leave Leeds United after being told he is surplus to requirements at Elland Road.
The 31-year-old striker has struggled with injuries for the last few years, making just 17 outings for Daniel Farke’s side last term en route to winning the Championship title.
Bamford spent 13 months on loan at Stadium MK, first arriving at MK Dons in November 2012 from Chelsea. Finding his feet in his first spell, netting four goals in 14 games, he hit form in the first-half of 2013/14, firing 17 goals in 30 games before he was recalled by the Blues, and joined Championship Derby County on loan.
He moved to Middlesbrough in January 2017 for around £5.5 million, before moving to Leeds 18 months later, where he became a regular goal-scorer. But after seven years in Yorkshire, and 60 goals in 205 appearances, he is now training with the U21s.
Manager Farke admitted he has had frank conversations with Bamford about place in the Elland Road pecking order, and told him he is no longer a part of his plans next season.
“I had a really open and honest conversation with Patrick, which was important,” said Farke. “He knows how much I rate him as a player and I would have preferred a fit Patrick Bamford for the last two seasons.
“But he is a player who needs to be the main man. He needs an arm round the shoulder after some difficult seasons. I was not willing to tell him he was the main man at Premier League level.
“In the second day of pre-season, I got him into my office and told him he is not in my plans for the upcoming season. It would have been easy for me to hide behind the sporting director or wait until we got someone else in, but he has done so much for this club, he deserves respect and transparency.
“I will treat this situation as respectfully as possible, but there comes a moment when you can't carry on with five or six strikers. Right now, we are talking about what we do to retain his fitness levels.
“The U21s are going to Munich for a friendly but when they come back, he will probably join many sessions with them. He needs team training to stay fit. It would make no sense just to let him run around the lake [at the training ground].”