Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Leeds: Phil Hay drops positive Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford update
Leeds United pair Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford are close to returning from long-term injuries, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.
The Lowdown: Phillips and Bamford long-term absentees
The Whites are enduring a season to forget in the Premier League, with Marcelo Bielsa sacked and relegation back to the Championship now a real possibility.
While injuries can’t be solely used as an excuse for Leeds’ struggles, they have clearly played a part, with Phillips and Bamford two of the most costly absentees. The duo haven’t featured at all so far in 2022 and have only made 17 league starts combined this season.
The Latest: Hay gives positive update
However, in a Q&A for The Athletic, Hay claimed that both Phillips and Bamford could be back in the fold soon.
When a Leeds fan suggested that the duo could be close to returning amid hearing that they could feature for the Whites’ under-23 side this week, the journalist replied: “They really aren’t far off.”
The Verdict: Season-changing boost?
This is an enormous boost for Leeds, with Phillips and Bamford arguably the first names on the team sheet when fit, along with Raphinha, having been instrumental figures in the Whites’ excellent 2020/21 campaign.
The former has been hailed as ‘excellent’ by England manager Gareth Southgate, winning his country’s Player of the Year award last year in the process, while the latter has been described as ‘exceptional’ by Jurgen Klopp.
Having them back in the fold should make a huge difference to Leeds’ season, with their quality in midfield and attack respectively making the Whites a more fearsome proposition under Jesse Marsch as the new manager aims to pull the team clear of relegation trouble.
In other news, a journalist has backed Leeds to sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here.
