Part and parcel of promotion to the Premier League is the reality that some players are not going to be a part of Leeds United’s future beyond this summer.
Players who did not play regularly in the Championship may not be suited to playing in the top-flight, given that they were not deemed good enough at a lower level, and that is why Patrick Bamford could be in trouble.
The English forward only played 17 times in the league in the 2024/25 season, coming off the bench in all of those outings, and failed to provide a single goal or assist to the team.
No final decision on his future has been communicated by the club or player, but his lack of minutes last season does not suggest that he is likely to be a key player in the top-flight next term.
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Meanwhile, another member of Daniel Farke’s first-team squad has already revealed that the club have made a decision on his future at Elland Road.
Max Wober's statement on his Leeds future
Whilst on international duty with Austria, central defender Max Wober has confirmed that the Premier League side have told him to leave during the summer transfer window, as they want to cash in on him.
He told Krone: “Leeds have already told me clearly that they want to sell me.”
Wober’s contract at Elland Road does not expire until the summer of 2027, though, so a team will have to come in with an offer to sign him if they want to move on from the Austrian flop on a permanent basis.
Leeds paid a reported fee of £11m to sign the left-footed dud from RB Salzburg in January 2023, under Jesse Marsch, but it remains to be seen how much of that fee the club would want back for him.
Why Wober must go before Bamford
The West Yorkshire outfit must push the Austria international out of the door at Elland Road this summer before Bamford because he does not, on paper, look to be a player who will provide much value to the squad.
Wober, who was described as “half-hearted” and “slow” against Hull by pundit Tony Dorigo, only played eight times in the Championship this season, playing half as many matches as the striker, and endured a rough time in the Premier League last time out.
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22/23 Premier League
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Max Wober
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Appearances
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16
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Starts
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14
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Clean sheets
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2
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Dribbled past
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8x
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Duel success rate
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53%
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Penalties committed
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1
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Error led to shot
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1
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Stats via Sofascore
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As you can see in the table above, the Austrian flop played for Leeds in the second half of their relegation season and failed to step up, with two clean sheets in 16 games.
These statistics, coupled with his lack of minutes this term, suggest that he is unlikely to make the step up to the Premier League, which is why it is a good decision by the club to tell him to move on.
Bamford, meanwhile, may not be a frontline option for Leeds, given his struggles this season, but he is an experienced player who could provide value off the bench and around the squad.
The 31-year-old striker has scored 24 goals and provided 14 assists in 104 Premier League games in his career, including 17 goals in the 2020/21 campaign under Marcelo Bielsa.
Bamford has been there and done it in the top-flight in the past and could impart his experience and wisdom to the younger and less experienced members of the squad as a back-up option next season.
That is not to say that Leeds must keep the striker at Elland Road, as a move for him to go and play regular football could still suit all parties, but he has more to offer the team than Wober, who does not have any past success in the Premier League.
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By
Robbie Walls
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Therefore, Leeds should make selling Wober a big priority this summer, whilst they can afford to be relaxed about Bamford and his situation.