Patrick Bamford is confident of making his senior Leeds United comeback “soon” after making his long-awaited return for the Under-23s on Friday night.
The £7million summer signing from Middlesbrough played 45 minutes for the development squad in their 2-0 Premier League Cup tie defeat to Newcastle United.
Bamford came on at half-time of the clash in what was his first serious run-out since suffering knee ligament damage in September, also in an Under-23s match.
Bamford told the Yorkshire Evening Post afterwards: “I felt alright out there tonight. It was nice to get some minutes in the legs, and hopefully I can get back into the first team soon.”
OPINION
Bamford’s return to Under-23s action way ahead of schedule is a massive boost for Leeds as they aim to cement their position as automatic promotion candidates. The striker was initially ruled out for four months by the club when he broke down on 8 September with a posterior cruciate ligament injury in a Professional Development League clash against Bristol City at Elland Road. But he is six weeks ahead of schedule and is likely to be in contention for a first-team return in a week or two, assuming he emerges unscathed from Friday night’s fixture. Leeds have coped well in Bamford’s absence but his return will massively increase the options of Marcelo Bielsa, who has relied on Kemar Roofe and Tyler Roberts as the main spearheads of the attack in his absence. Of the three senior front men, Bamford has the best strike rate at Championship level and he is technically gifted, as well as capable of the spectacular. His imminent return is great news.