Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford's imminent return from a long-term injury is 'huge' news, says injury expert Ben Dinnery.
The Lowdown: Bamford closing in on return
The 28-year-old was superb for Leeds last season, scoring 17 times in the Premier League and proving to be an attacking talisman for his side.
Unfortunately, Bamford's 2021/22 campaign has been a hugely frustrating one, with injuries limiting him to just five starts in the league overall.
Leeds have been boosted by the news that the striker is now back in training, however, suggesting his return to the fold is not too far away.
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The Latest: Dinnery reacts
Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery, a contributor for Sky Sports, was excited after hearing of the striker's imminent return:
"The hope is he’ll play some part in the run-in. There’s no getting away from the fact they have missed a central striker, someone to put the ball in the back of the net.
"His absence has been felt keenly. Even in that brief cameo against Brentford a while ago, he managed to get on the scoresheet. That just shows that strikers know how to be in the right place at the right time. Getting that back, this will be huge for Leeds.
"Is he going to be fully fit and firing on all cylinders for the run-in? Absolutely not, given the fact that he has missed most of the season through injury.
"But will he be able to contribute and score goals? Yes, absolutely."
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The Verdict: Relegation-deciding moment?
Bamford's importance to this side is arguably up there with Kalvin Phillips - Jurgen Klopp has hailed him as 'exceptional' - considering the manner in which he led the line before his injury setbacks.
Not only is the Englishman a regular source of end product, but he also links up with teammates superbly, bringing them into the game and creating space for others.
New Leeds boss Jesse Marsch will no doubt be desperate to get Bamford back into his team as soon as possible, as his side face a huge relegation battle in the next few months. He could be the difference between them staying up or returning to the Championship, such is his importance.
In other news, Phil Hay has dropped a key double Leeds injury update. Read more here.