Leeds United sweating on outcome of striker Bamford's tests

LEEDS UNITED are continuing to wait for a full diagnosis of Patrick Bamford's condition after the £7m striker suffered a knee injury in an Under-23 fixture last week.
Patrick BamfordPatrick Bamford
Patrick Bamford

Bamford has undergone a series of scans in the past 72 hours as Leeds look to establish the extent of the damage sustained by him during Friday’s 5-0 win over Bristol City’s development squad. The former Middlesbrough forward was a surprise inclusion in a line-up which also featured Lewis Baker, Jamal Blackman and Jack Harrison as head coach Marcelo Bielsa gave a number of senior players a run-out in the Under-23s’ professional development league.

Bamford limped out of the game before half-time and is likely to miss Saturday’s Championship trip to Millwall. Leeds, however, are yet to confirm the length of his absence and sent him for fresh examinations yesterday with swelling in Bamford’s knee beginning to subside.

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The club made Bamford their most expensive signing in 17 years when they landed him from Middlesbrough at the beginning of August. He is yet to start a league game, however, due to the impressive form of player-of-the month Kemar Roofe.

A serious injury to Bamford would leave Bielsa without an experienced alternative to Roofe up front, and Bamford and Gaetano Berardi are Bielsa’s main concerns ahead of this weekend’s clash with Millwall.

Berardi also hurt a knee in a 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough 10 days ago and has been fighting to recover during the two-week international break. Pontus Jansson – set to fly back after Sweden’s Nations League clash with Turkey last night – is on stand-by to step in at the New Den if Berardi fails to recover.

Midfielder Pablo Hernandez is back in training after missing the clash with Middlesbrough and Adam Forshaw is pushing for inclusion having recovered from the broken foot bone he suffered before the season kicked off.

United are bidding to maintain their lead at the top of the Championship table and extend their unbeaten league run to seven matches.