Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford will hopefully be back from injury in time for next week's action, according to reliable journalist Adam Pope.

The Lowdown: Bamford misses Chelsea defeat

The Englishman has endured an injury-prone time of things in recent seasons, stunting his progress hugely after such an impressive 2020/21 campaign.

Bamford has been limited to only nine starts in the Premier League overall, and he ended up being ruled out of Saturday's 1-0 defeat away to Chelsea.

The hope is that the 29-year-old's absence is not a long one and a positive update has emerged regarding the situation.

The Latest: Only a short-term absence

Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Adam confirmed that Bamford could be available again by next week:

"Leg injury for Bamford according to Gracia. Hopes to be back next week."

The Verdict: Injuries a big problem now

This is clearly good news, with a long-term injury something that would have been a big blow for Leeds, but Bamford's injuries are still a problem now.

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The £70,000-a-week-earning striker seems to be unavailable as much as he is available these days, and he is struggling to find any rhythm on the pitch, having scored only once in the league all season.

On his day, Bamford remains a top-class player - he was once hailed as 'exceptional' by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp - but these constant fitness issues highlight the need for attacking signings this summer.

It is reaching the stage where he should be used as a luxury player, managing his minutes carefully, with a younger, less injury-prone figure coming in.