Leeds United not ready to move on from attacker as Daniel Farke reveals benefit for Mateo Joseph

Bamford is the club's only remaining member of Jesse Marsch's leadership group, a six-man council that also included Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling, Rodrigo, Stuart Dallas and Adam Forshaw. This summer's departure of Cooper, Ayling and Dallas' retirement from the sport left Bamford as one only three of the club's players who featured in Marcelo Bielsa's promotion-winning side. But while Illan Meslier and Pascal Struijk are currently seen as starters in Farke's XI, Bamford has lost the number 9 spot to Joseph - for now at least.

Pre-season suggested that the passing of the torch from Bamford to youngster Joseph was well underway. Joseph returned from his summer break in top shape and looked full of confidence in the friendly games, scoring in the behind-closed-doors friendlies against Hannover and Schalke. Bamford, meanwhile, was still working his way back to full fitness after a minor knee surgery that curtailed his 2023/24 season and kept him out of the play-off final at Wembley. Leeds said they were managing his workload carefully over the summer and though he made a substitute cameo against Valencia before featuring as a replacement in each of the Whites' opening two Championship games, a hamstring issue kept him out of Friday's win over Sheffield Wednesday.

And with Bamford on the sideline, Joseph underlined his potential as Leeds' number 9 with a key part in Brenden Aaronson's goal and a sublime assist for Daniel James in the second half. Any suggestion that there is no role for Bamford to play would not sit well with Farke, who wants the 30-year-old back among his forward options as soon as possible.

"We don't have to speak about the experience and the quality Patrick has," said Farke. "So for him, the most important topic is to be fit, to train regularly, to come into his rhythm and then he's an excellent Championship striker and he has also proven this, even on Premier League level. A cap for England is no coincidence and to score double figures on Premier League level is never coincidence. But of course he was out for, I think, 11 weeks without team training with the end of last season, the summer break and the beginning of this pre-season. Then he was pretty close right now to gain back his fitness level, and then hopefully just a small setback, because our medical department says he will be out for one to two weeks. So not too bad. So perhaps he's already available for the next game, if not then at least after the international break."

Farke believes that Bamford, who with 202 Championship appearances is by far Leeds' most experienced front man, can help in situations that call for nous rather than youthful exuberance. With Bamford injured 20-year-old Joseph led the line, supported by fellow attackers James, 26, Gnonto, 20 and Aaronson, 23.

"We need him," said Farke. "We definitely need also the experience. We had a pretty, pretty young side today and they played excited football. But there will also be games when with just 19, 20-year-old guys who are perhaps even a bit over-excited up front, it's difficult to fight for the top positions in this league. You also need experience. And I think Patrick, for example, sometimes it's underrated."

Bamford's influence goes beyond what he does when he's on the pitch according to Farke and it will stand Leeds in good stead when it comes to polishing the skills of their young diamond.

"For the development of a young player like Mateo Joseph it's important, because Patrick is a very experienced striker and just watching him in training, what he also does in the games, it helps Mateo to improve," said the boss. "Patrick is also a good guy, sometimes you underrate this but he talks a lot with the young players in order to develop them. So we definitely need him. We need him back sooner rather than later and hopefully he comes back as quick as possible."

Leeds remain in the market for another attacker in the final week of the summer transfer window. A move for Tottenham Hotspur's Manor Solomon is still possible. The Israeli international underwent a medical at the weekend but talks have remained ongoing and the deal has not yet been concluded. Farke also wants a full-back and central midfielder.