Phil Hay has been speaking on the latest edition of The Athletic’s The Phil Hay Show about all things relating to Leeds United.
One of the topics that he spent a lot of time on was Patrick Bamford, and Hay revealed that he thinks the 27-year-old is now a candidate for an England call-up.
Bamford has been in brilliant form this season for the Whites, and he has scored nine goals in the Premier League, leaving him just behind the likes of Heung-min Son, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Mohamed Salah, and Jamie Vardy.
He is level with Harry Kane as well, so he has had a brilliant season, and it is no wonder that Hay thinks he is a candidate for an England call-up.
He said: “The public at large, now, are looking at him and saying he is a decent, decent Premier League forward.
“Even when the links to the England squad were coming, it wasn’t as if people were listening to that and saying ‘well, you have to be joking’. Actually, he feels like a bit of a credible candidate for that, because he’s finishing as well as just about anybody else.”
Do you think Bamford deserves an England call-up?
Yes, he has been brilliant
No, he hasn't been that good
TIF Thoughts on Bamford potentially getting an England call-up…
The 27-year-old, who is valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, had only scored one Premier League goal in 27 appearances before this season, but under Marcelo Bielsa, he has managed nine in 13 games, so he has had a great start.
The next England games aren’t until March, but you would think that if he keeps up this sort of form until then, Gareth Southgate will find it hard to ignore him – despite his lack of experience on the senior international stage.
We have really enjoyed watching Bamford this season, and we hope that he does get that international recognition that his form deserves when Southgate picks his next England squad.