Leeds United should take January call after Patrick Bamford reveal: View | OneFootball

The Whites should be looking to offload Bamford this winter if he's keen to secure an exit - and an adequate replacement could be recruited.

Daniel Farke has plenty to sort out during the January transfer window, with Leeds United potentially needing a few additions to boost their squad.

There has been chatter about the club's goalkeeping department since Illan Meslier's error against Sunderland, but it would be difficult to see that area being too high up the Whites' priority list.

Instead, the Whites' centre-back and central midfield areas may need looking at, with Ethan Ampadu's injury reinforcing the need for depth in these two key departments.

Ilia Gruev also looks set for an extended spell on the sidelines, leaving their midfield area short of options at this point despite the summer additions of Joe Rothwell (loan) and Ao Tanaka.

Thanks to the summer signings of Largie Ramazani and Manor Solomon (loan), the Whites have been able to bring in some quality on the wing after Crysencio Summerville's move to West Ham United, and Brenden Aaronson could prove to be a suitable replacement for Georginio Rutter.

With quite a few of their positions having a decent amount of depth, it would be difficult to see too much business being done in January, unless there are some key departures again.

However, the centre-back and central midfield areas may need to be focused on and the striker department may also be on the Whites' radar after a recent development.

Patrick Bamford's stance on Leeds United future revealed

According to yesterday's Football Insider report, striker Patrick Bamford is keen to leave Elland Road next summer and link up with a new club.

The forward is reportedly becoming frustrated under Farke, having failed to establish himself as a key player under the German manager.

Although a hamstring issue has contributed to his lack of appearances this season, he may not have as much of a role to play in West Yorkshire this term, considering how much some of the club's other forwards have contributed in recent months.

His contract doesn't expire until the summer of 2026, but if this recent development is anything to go by, he may leave the Whites before then.

Daniel Farke may have to make a big Patrick Bamford call at Leeds United

Bamford has been a real asset for the Whites during his time at Elland Road, even though he has spent time on the sidelines in recent years.

Even this season, his experience could be useful, with fellow forward Mateo Joseph still developing and potentially needing an experienced mentor like Bamford to guide him through tough challenges.

However, the experienced forward isn't at a stage of his career where he will want to focus on mentoring players because he probably feels as though he still has plenty to offer.

At 31, his career shouldn't be anywhere near done yet, and if the player is keen to secure an exit from Elland Road, it probably wouldn't benefit Leeds to stand in his way.

Having an unhappy player during a promotion push is the last thing Farke needs, so he should be preparing to sell Bamford in January, even though the striker may be prepared to stay put until next summer.

Whether the striker can do enough to put himself in the shop window to attract January interest is another question, but if the Whites can offload him, they should if he doesn't want to remain at the West Yorkshire club for the long term.

It's also fair to say that he has plenty of competition for a starting spot now, with Joel Piroe and Joseph both able to operate in this area.

Joseph needs game time if he wants to develop and that means Bamford's time on the pitch could be limited, which isn't ideal considering the latter is likely to be on a decent wage, even after Leeds' relegation last year.

Offloading Bamford could allow the Whites to bring in a couple of forwards during the winter and potentially allow Joe Gelhardt to go back out on loan after that. And the former being sold in January would allow the club to avoid losing him for free in 2026.

With all of this in mind, selling the 31-year-old in January if they get a sufficient offer seems like a no-brainer, and it could be an exit that suits all parties.