Two 90-minute outings since September 2021, five league goals in the same 21 months and relegation have brought Patrick Bamford to a Leeds United crossroads.
The peak of Bamford’s career, to date, came just 12 days before that ankle injury at St James’ Park which set in motion the decline we have since seen. His one England cap, that Wembley start against Andorra he will never forget, was the product of three years under Marcelo Bielsa’s wing.
The striker had proven all of his doubters wrong with a 17-goal Premier League season which was only bettered by three players (Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah and Bruno Fernandes). That cruel ankle injury, which he played through until the end of the Tyneside clash, cut him down before he could even get going with the Three Lions.
