Ex-Leeds United man makes Patrick Bamford transfer claim amid summer speculation

Former Leeds United man David Norris expects Patrick Bamford to stay on at Elland Road this summer, despite recent speculation. A Daily Mail article published in May named Bamford as one of the players Leeds were pushing to move on this summer in their bid to make ends meet financially.

The striker, who still has two more years left to run on his current deal with the Whites, has had an up and down few years at Elland Road. After bagging 17 Premier League goals in one season for Leeds, Bamford did enough to force his way into the England reckoning back in 2021.

The 30-year-old hasn't been able to hit such heights since, though, with troublesome and lingering injuries leading to a dip in form. In fact, he has hit 17 in the three seasons that have followed that remarkable campaign under Marcelo Bielsa in the top flight, with nine of those coming last season.

Bamford missed the opening two months of action under Daniel Farke due a knock he picked up in a pre-season friendly and it's fair to say it took him several more months to rediscover any sort of form as he was restricted to fleeting appearances off the bench by Daniel Farke. A missed penalty at Stoke City didn't help his confidence.

However, he hit the back of the net on New Year's Day and what followed was a run of goalscoring form that underlined just what he is capable of when firing on all cylinders. He found the back of the net eight times in 13 games, with his instinctive effort against Peterborough United in the FA Cup being an undoubted highlight. He scored again in the win over Middlesbrough in April before going on to miss the club's final five games of the season with a knee issue, including Leeds' play-off campaign.

Despite the frustrating spells he's had at Elland Road, though, his experience could well prove to be important next season and Norris believes Leeds will be keen to keep hold of him this summer.

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“The talk over Bamford’s future is something he’s had over the past few years,” Norris told MOT Leeds News. “I think he will still be there next season. I don’t think he’s desperate to leave, and I don’t think Leeds are desperate to move him on. He seems a good lad, well-liked – albeit with that sort of up-and-down relationship with the fans.

“He’s had these rumours before and he’s always stayed through it, so I do reckon Leeds keep him.”

Bamford joined Leeds from Middlesbrough in 2018 for a fee reported to be worth up to £10m. He has since made 187 appearances for the Whites, bagging 60 goals, and should Liam Cooper and Jamie Shackleton leave Elland Road this summer at the end of their contracts, he will be the longest-serving player left in the senior fold.