Leeds United reveal details over 'freak' Patrick Bamford injury that has kept him sidelined at Elland Road

Leeds United's Head of Medicine and Performance Rob Price has detailed how Patrick Bamford re-injured himself in training following his return to action ahead of the festive period.
Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford.Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford.
Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford.

The 25-year-old made the £9million switch to Elland Road from Middlesbrough last summer but has seen just 83 minutes of Championship game time this season.

Bamford damaged ligaments in his knee in early September whilst playing for the United development squad before making his return at Bolton last month.

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The striker stepped off the bench for his first action in nearly four months and bagged the winner against Wanderers in the 1-0 victory in Lancashire.

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford.Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford.
Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford.

Bamford though was ruled out once more following a training injury at Thorp Arch much to the frustration of the Whites.

Details of the extent of the injury failed to surface but United's Head of Medicine and Performance Price has now revealed just what happened with the striker.

"His injury again was a little bit of a freak one," Price told the club's official website.

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"One of the players fell on him in a training session just before the Aston Villa game where his knee got caught underneath him and twisted.

"Again, the injury he suffered previously, his PCL stayed intact and he didn’t damage that, but he did tear another ligament in his knee and the capsule at the back, so we have had to allow that to settle and then build him back up again outside.

"He is back with the coaching staff and looking quite sharp out there, but we don’t want to rush him back. He has had two separate ligament injuries now on that same knee, so we have to proceed with a little bit of precaution."

Price also issued updates over Barry Douglas (hamstring), Stuart Dallas (foot fracture), Izzy Brown and Gaetano Berardi who all remain sidelined for the forseeable future.

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Douglas and Dallas are due to return to action for the Under-23s next Monday at Thorp Arch in a bid to step up their fitness, while Izzy Brown also needs more game time in the development side before making his long-awaited United debut following a year out with a torn ACL.

Price also played down Berardi's early substitution on Monday for Carlos Corberan's side as he returns from a hamstring rupture: "I think everyone saw Berardi came off after 44 minutes, the plan was for him to play 45 minutes, but he came off with some tightness in the hamstring.

"It is a really complicated injury, he actually ruptured one of his hamstrings. We scanned him just to make sure he hadn’t done anything again following Monday night’s game and everything is nice and intact on the hamstring that he ruptured.

"However the other hamstrings are having to take more of the load whilst the other one recovers, so there is a little bit of fluid around that is more because of an overuse. He will do some more work in the gym and out on the pitches with Reuben.

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"We use the Under-23 games as part of the rehab process- just because he was going to play 45 minutes on Monday, we still think he is a fair way away from being involved with the team and perhaps that message sometimes doesn’t get out there as well as it should.”