Why Leeds United should prioritise a new deal for Patrick Bamford
According to the Daily Mail (h/t The Sun), Leeds United are planning to reward star striker Patrick Bamford with a new long-term deal to fend off interest from potential suitors.
The 27-year-old has entered the final 18 months of his existing deal at Elland Road, which is due to expire at the end of the 2021-22 season. Bamford’s impressive start to life in the Premier League has put several other clubs on red alert as they look to exploit the striker’s unresolved contract scenario.
As per the report, the Whites will hold discussions with Bamford’s representatives over a lucrative long-term contract that should see him get a considerable hike on his current wages of £35,000-a-week. The Grantham-born hitman has been instrumental in Leeds’ promising start to life back in the Premier League this season, scoring 10 times in 17 appearances so far.
In fact, Bamford is one of the only seven players to have reached double figures in the goals column already, putting him level with England captain Harry Kane. The former Chelsea man scored in each of Leeds’ first three PL fixtures this season before producing the highlight of his spectacular start with a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Aston Villa.
Bamford joined Leeds United from Middlesbrough back in the summer of 2018. The striker’s arrival in West Yorkshire coincided with Marcelo Bielsa taking charge of the Whites and the duo has certainly enjoyed a healthy working relationship.
The 27-year-old scored 9 times in the Championship during an injury-ravaged debut season as Leeds made it to the playoffs. Bamford bettered that tally with 16 goals in 45 appearances in the following campaign, playing a key role to guide the Whites to automatic promotion.
Putting things into context, it should be an absolute no-brainer for Leeds United to offer Patrick Bamford a new contract in the coming months. Bamford went into the season with plenty of questions over his credentials as a top-flight striker but has silenced his critics in an emphatic manner with a blistering start to the campaign.
Signed from Middlesbrough in a deal worth up to £10 million back in 2018, Bamford has offered real value for money as far as Leeds are concerned. Bielsa showed a lot of trust in his abilities in the Championship and he has remained the Argentine’s go-to man in front of goal in the PL this term. His goal tally clearly shows that Bamford has more than justified the manager’s selection.
In truth, Bamford offers a lot more to Leeds United than just goals. The 27-year-old’s ability to run the channels and work tirelessly off the ball makes him a perfect fit for Bielsa’s high-intensity system at Elland Road. That he has retained his status as the first-choice No.9 despite the arrival of an accomplished international like Rodrigo Moreno speaks volumes.
Verdict
Leeds United have acted quickly in the recent past to secure the futures of some of their first-team mainstays. The likes of Liam Cooper, Mateusz Klich and Kalvin Phillips have all put pen to paper on new deals over the past 12 months.
To that end, a new long-term contract for Patrick Bamford would represent a continuation of the same policy. It would also come as a just reward for a striker who has more than lived up to the expectations.
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Bamford has hit the ground running in the Premier League and with his best years still potentially ahead of him at 27, Leeds United should surely secure his future at the earliest.
