Patrick Bamford is someone who Wrexham have fancied since the turn of the year. Now after Wrexham’s promotion to the Championship and Leeds United’s promotion to the Premier League, could Bamford finally be set for a move to the Racecourse?
Wrexham need a marquee signing up front this summer, and that signing could yet be Patrick Bamford who is facing a very uncertain summer at Leeds United following the club’s return to the top flight.
Last January, Wrexham wanted to sign Bamford on loan from Leeds but he remained at the club. It was a tough season on the whole for the one-time former England man, who failed to score in 17 Championship appearances, all of which came from the bench.
And going into this summer’s transfer window, reports have reignited Wrexham’s interest in Bamford, who is steadily falling down the pecking order at Elland Road where his contract is set to expire in a year’s time.
Already this summer, Leeds have signed one new striker in Lukas Nmecha, and it looks like the Whites will sign a couple more at least, with links to a horde of potential new striker signings right now.
Patrick Bamford during Leeds United FC v Bristol City FC in the Sky Bet Championship clash.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
What Patrick Bamford is saying about his Leeds United future
Bamford has given a couple of honest opinions on his Leeds United future already this summer. In one, Bamford said he can play for another five years, saying: “I’d like to play for one as long as I still enjoy it and two I can still stay at a good level. I think, I reckon I’ve still got a good five years and I feel alright now but as soon as one of them two goes I think I’d then say I’m not going to force it.”
And Bamford has spoken about moving to the MLS as well. He said earlier this summer: “I think it’s something that, obviously over time I’ve spoke to Michaela [his wife] about it, in terms of playing abroad, and America being one of the options… It is something that I would be open to yeah, we just don’t know when yet.”
It’s also been reported that Leeds manager Daniel Farke will let Bamford decide his own fate this summer. The German manager is clear with Bamford that he’s down the pecking order and if he wants to leave, the club won’t stand in his way.
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The major sticking point in a potential Wrexham transfer swoop for Patrick Bamford
As might be the case with a lot of potential signings at the Racecourse this summer, wages could be the major sticking point.
At Leeds, it’s understood that Bamford earns around the £40,000-a-week mark. And following the club’s promotion it’s been reported that the Leeds players have all received generous pay rises, too, which could price most teams out of a move for Bamford who could be happy to sit out the final year of his contract in Yorkshire.
But Wrexham have some spending power this summer. Not only do the club have a £25million transfer budget to spend on new players, but the Dragons also have a lot more resources to spend on player wages.
Already this summer, journalist Alan Nixon has revealed how Wrexham can now pay players up to £30,000-a-week, and that might be about as much as Bamford could earn this summer if he leaves Leeds United, unless he were to seal a move to the Middle East which right now seems unlikely.
Can Wrexham realistically sign Patrick Bamford this summer?
The simple answer is yes. Wrexham can certainly count themselves in the race to sign Bamford who could quite easily be on the move, and who would surely align with the current wage structure at Wrexham, whilst also likely costing very little given how he’s become surplus to requirements at Elland Road.
And Parkinson would surely jump at the chance to sign such an experienced player who’s tried and tested in the Championship. But the ball is very much in Bamford’s court: he can stay at Leeds United, maybe play a handful of games next season, but earn a huge amount of money before then having the chance to find a new club this time next year.
But if he wants to spend next season playing regular football and being a regular starter, which he would no doubt be at Wrexham, then he might look for a move away from Leeds.
So whilst a move to the Racecourse is certainly plausible, whether or not it’s likely isn’t clear as of yet. Wrexham might have to wait to see how many more strikers Leeds sign and then see if Bamford is still keen on staying or not.