Leeds Star 'Willing to Take Pay Cut' to Leave Elland Road — Give Me Sport 24/12/24

By Danny Rust

Leeds United star Patrick Bamford is prepared to take a pay cut in order to embark on a fresh challenge away from the Championship promotion-chasers after Italian outfit Genoa have shown interest in tempting him into a move from Elland Road, respected journalist Ben Jacobs has told GIVEMESPORT.

Despite seeing numerous key men depart during the summer, with Georginio Rutter being the most expensive outgoing thanks to completing a £40million switch to Brighton & Hove Albion, Whites boss Daniel Farke has steered his side into the title hunt as they seek a return to the Premier League.

But, with a Boxing Day trip to Stoke City on the horizon as Leeds look to close the three-point gap on table-topping Sheffield United, Bamford could also head through the exit door despite fellow frontman Joe Gelhardt showing a willingness to join Scottish Premiership heavyweights Rangers.

Serie A side Genoa and League One outfit Wrexham are keeping tabs on Bamford's situation at Leeds, according to TEAMtalk, resulting in him considering his options and speaking to Farke after finding himself behind the likes of Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph in the pecking order.

The striker is preparing to enter the final 18 months of a contract which allows him to pocket £70,000-per-week, but Jacobs has told GMS that a move to Italy could be enough to entice him to accept a deal which involves a wage drop, even though a switch would be more likely at the end of the season.

The reputable journalist told GMS:

"There is some early and formative interest in Bamford from Genoa, who brought in Mario Balotelli as a short-term solution. They will look to add some firepower in the summer.

"The wage is the issue for them with Bamford but, given his age and when he first signed that deal with a big wage, it may be that he is willing to move and take a pay cut.

"He may not expect the same kind of Premier League wage that he got when he signed his last long-term deal, so I don't think Bamford will be too greedy if he thinks he doesn't have a future at Leeds.

"I think he might be prepared, from what I hear from sources, to take a pay cut. Genoa could be one to watch, but it would be a big outlay for them in terms of wage."

Bamford has been on Leeds' books since completing a switch worth £10million from Middlesbrough in July 2018, according to BBC Sport, but he has struggled for game time since his current employers missed out on an immediate return to the top flight thanks to suffering a Championship play-off final defeat to Southampton last term.

The 31-year-old has been restricted to just 192 minutes of action in all competitions this season, with his solitary start coming in the Carabao Cup first round, and he has failed to find the back of the net despite the Whites heading into Christmas in the automatic promotion places.