Leeds United will be looking to offload some deadwood ahead of venturing back up to the Premier League.
Indeed, Daniel Farke will know he needs everyone singing off the same hymn sheet to be a success in such a daunting division, meaning personnel such as Illan Meslier and Maximilian Wober could soon be on the chopping block, following Junior Firpo – who headed for Real Betis – out of the exit door.
Patrick Bamford could also be another reserve figure that the German is tempted to part ways with this summer.
But, if the injury-prone 31-year-old was to stay put, he might well be a valuable option for the Whites still, based on his flashes of brilliance in the Premier League previously.
Bamford's previous form in the Premier League
The long-standing Leeds servant did let the entire 24/25 campaign pass him by without scoring a single strike, but he has displayed signs of his class in the big time before.
Bamford has netted all but one of his 24 top-flight strikes donning Leeds white, with the wonderfully taken goal above one of three strikes he managed against Aston Villa to bag a Premier League hat-trick all the way back in 2020.
Of course, it would be extremely bold to expect the 31-year-old to recapture his Premier League best, especially as a goalless season under Farke’s wing is still so fresh.
Yet, he could still be utilised as an impact option off the bench if necessary, with the four goals he bagged the last time he was at the intimidating level, coming about from just 18 starts.
Whilst the veteran still has some credit left in his bank, this other attacker has been stuck on the periphery at Elland Road for some time now without ever looking likely to redeem himself, with a loan exit this summer looking to be nailed on.
The Leeds star who is worse than Bamford
Leeds supporters will always possess a soft spot for Bamford, considering he has two Championship titles under his belt now with the West Yorkshire outfit, away from his favourable output of 60 strikes when at the peak of his powers.
In the curious case of Joe Gelhardt, however, his excellent displays at Elland Road have been even more fleeting than the 31-year-old’s, with the Liverpool-born forward last powering home a strike for the club way back in August of 2023 against Shrewsbury Town. Bamford, on the other hand, last scored in April of 2024 when Farke’s men were hunting down promotion.
24/25
3
0
0
23/24
13
1
0
22/23
19
0
3
21/22
22
2
4
That goal against the Shrews didn’t even come about in league action either, meaning Gelhardt hasn’t actually fired home a meaningful strike in the bread and butter of league football for Leeds since the 21/22 season.
The 23-year-old did amass a promising collection of five goals last season out on loan with Hull City, but Farke will hold zero confidence in Gelhardt being able to transition to Premier League life smoothly. Whereas, with Bamford, he will at least have some crumbs of comfort on his side that he can compete, even if it’s from a bit-part role.
Therefore, instead of killing the 23-year-old’s confidence even more, Leeds will likely loan Gelhardt back out to the Championship, with journalist Graeme Bailey revealing that Wrexham and Birmingham City are interested in the out-of-sorts striker’s services.
The reporter claims that the Premier League side have told the forward that he is free to move on from Elland Road this summer, which has attracted interest from the second tier.
It will be intriguing to see what happens past this next step for Gelhardt, with Jamie Carragher once branding the former England U20 international as a “special” when he was making a name for himself in the senior side while Jamie Redknapp suggested he was “really exciting.”
Now, his future at Elland Road is arguably on even more unstable ground than Bamford’s, even as Farke begins to eye up some fresh stars up top to help Leeds adjust back to their unnerving new level.
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