Patrick Bamford will be slowly re-introduced to the Leeds United first team despite his stunning hat-trick for the Under-23s on Tuesday, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The regional newspaper claim that United manager Marcelo Bielsa is “taking a cautious track” with the £7million summer signing and he “will be obliged to wait his turn” for a starting place.
The Yorkshire Evening Post report Bamford and Kemar Roofe are in “direct competition” for a place in the starting XI and the ex-Middlesbrough and Chelsea’s return is not just a matter of match fitness.
OPINION
Bamford will be on a massive high tonight (Tuesday) after banging in a sensational hat-trick for Leeds Under-23s in their bonkers 6-3 win over Burnley on Tuesday. A strong side that also featured Izzy Brown, Lewis Baker and substitute Jack Clarke demonstrated that those pushing for senior places have plenty to offer. Despite a social media clamour for Bamford to be restored to the senior XI after being an unused substitute in last Saturday’s 2-1 win over QPR, it appears the big-money signing is going to have to be patient, just as he was when playing second fiddle to Roofe in the early weeks of the season before suffering a knee injury on 8 September. That will be a surprise to many after his heroics for the youth team. Roofe is the first-choice spearhead, just as he was in the second week of September. His tally of 10 goals from 16 Championship appearances, including a double against QPR, make him one of the main men in the side sitting second in the division. Having Bamford as back-up is brilliant for Bielsa, but it could be some time before the 25-year-old makes the starting XI.