Leeds United may have been cleared to offload Patrick Bamford after a surprising turn of events during the international break, Adam Pope has jokingly suggested.
The BBC reporter reacted to Don’t Go to Bed Yet on September 9 following left-back Junior Firp’s unexpected turn as a Dominican Republic striker on international duty.
The Whites are said to have tried to sell both players during the transfer window [Daily Mail, July 1], while the late striker’s signature was expected before the deadline [Daily Mail, August 24], which did not materialize, but in a light-hearted exchange, it was suggested that the solution is already internal.
Jonny Buchan (4m 55s) reacted to Firp’s start at number nine: “We’ve seen him finish, we’ve seen his attacking ability when he added that string of assists last season. In some ways he’s better suited to finish at this end of the field.”
Simon Rix replied: “Great, yes, so we can sell Bamford. He’s the back-up striker we all knew we needed.”
The Pope added: “Just cancel his contract, he can be free if Firpo is this good.”
Junior Firpo Leeds striker after role in Dominican Republic?
Firp’s rejuvenation at Elland Road over the past year has been almost as drastic as Bamford’s fall from grace in recent seasons, with the full-back developing into a cult hero for the fans.
His major struggles in the Premier League since arriving from Barcelona have given way to far more impressive performances as a Championship operator, where assists are a key part of his game.
He registered another when he again played in a forward role against Dominica [Joe Donnohue, September 10], suggesting Daniel Farke could use him as an emergency option if injuries hit West Yorkshire.
Unfortunately for Bamford, the fitness turmoil has played a major role in him increasingly dividing opinion among fans, and further dismissals this term have ended any slim chance of a transfer before the deadline.
Although the Englishman contributed a large number of goals as a starter at the start of 2024, recent years have been largely characterized by injury absences and an apparent desperation to make up for lost time when available.
Too often the pressure he put on himself helped lead to errors that missed penalties, which ultimately only made matters worse, but Leeds probably still never replaced him as a true number nine.
The emergence of Mateo Joseph may yet address this, but neither he nor last summer’s signing Joel Piroe are similar replacements.
Neither is Firpo, obviously, but if the recruitment department saw fit not to sign a new striker this summer but finally signed a new left-back in the name of Isaac Schmidt, stranger things have happened at Elland Road than running out of internationals Dominican Republic. once in attack under Farke.