Podcaster and YouTuber Conor McGilligan has admitted he has been left worried by Noel Whelan’s comments claiming Patrick Bamford is the best striker for Leeds United heading into January.
Bamford has had a horrific time of things over the last 18 months and has hardly played any football since the start of last season with just 11 league starts to his name, as he just can’t seem to stay fit.
Leeds have subsequently been linked with a number of strikers heading into January, including Brazilian internationals Matheus Cunha and Pedro, but ex-player Whelan recently spoke to Football Insider about how no striker is as good as Bamford at leading the line for Leeds.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, McGilligan is now worried that Whelan – a club ambassador – has heard something from the club about Leeds not being all-in on signing a Bamford replacement, and instead sticking with the injury-prone ace.
He said: “It’s slightly worrying – I know Noel does a few bits with the club – that that sort of rhetoric is coming out that Leeds don’t need a striker if Patrick Bamford is fully fit.
Do Leeds need to sign a new striker?
Yes!
No!
“If that is the word coming out of the club – and I’m not saying it is at all – relegate us now.
“This isn’t to say Rodrigo is doing a bad job; I think he’s doing a really, really good job. I still don’t think he’s the answer.”
TIF Thoughts on Bamford…
It would be very wild and potentially reckless from the Leeds board to go through the January transfer window and not bring in a new striker as Bamford is clearly unable to stay fit, while Rodrigo is potentially only in a brief purple patch of form given his poor goalscoring record before the start of this campaign.
Therefore, links to the likes of Cunha and Pedro make sense as they are young and/or versatile players that could fit into Jesse Marsch’s system moving forward, while they would also provide options for years to come, instead of constantly pinning hopes on a 29-year-old injury-prone striker.
Given Whelan does have present links to the club, that could suggest he may have heard something about what the Whites want to do in January, but the idea he has the inside scoop on the club’s transfer plans seems rather fanciful to us.