Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford could be back in time for next week’s game against Southampton as he continues to recover from recent hamstring issues.
Bamford has been out of action since the end of July, when he picked up a hamstring injury in the club’s final pre-season game, and has yet to feature for Daniel Farke’s side this season.
He returned to full training this week, after seven weeks out of action, after Farke described it as “good news.”
His form will not be a cause for concern at the moment, however, as Joel Piroe has been brought in to provide the goals that Bamford struggled to score last term.
The Athletic’s Phil Hay has revealed that Farke won’t be available for this weekend’s game against Southampton, but will be when the side travel to the Emerald Isle in eight days’ time.
Hay added: “I don’t think Bamford is going to start over Piro Eriu or Gerevinio Rutter but having him as an alternative is a good thing, especially when he’s not under the pressure of starting every week.
The problem we’ve always had with him is that his form is the key to our results. We did well in the first half of the season when he was fit and then we didn’t do so well in the second. Now that we’re not reliant on him, maybe we can get rid of that burden and see the best out of him.
