Daniel Farke has detailed the latest on the injuries suffered by Georginio Rutter and Patrick Bamford in Leeds United’s 1-0 win over Heart of Midlothian in Edinburgh on Sunday afternoon
Transfer plans at Leeds United will not change after strikers Georginio Rutter and Patrick Bamford each limped out of their friendly win at Heart of Midlothian today. The pair have largely shared minutes as Daniel Farke’s centre forward this summer, but they each now face a race to be fit for the season-opening game with Cardiff City next weekend.
Rutter was replaced by Bamford in the 26th minute of Sunday’s victory at Tynecastle Park. The Frenchman had gone to ground after a duel with a Hearts defender, received treatment, but carried on.
A few minutes later he would go down again and gesture to the bench for a replacement. Bamford would then play until the 82nd minute, when he clutched his right hamstring in a sprint for the ball and came off after some treatment
On Rutter, Farke said: “[It’s] a muscle injury in his core. We hope it’s not too bad. We have to wait for the assessment. It’s too early to say something, but a core muscle injury.”
And on Bamford: “Yes, it seems to be like a hamstring injury. It’s more or less the same. We have to wait for the assessment. So he’s felt that something happened after the sprint and now we have to wait for the assessment.”
It remains to be seen how long they will be out for, but Farke was prepared to admit the injuries do put participation in next Sunday’s Elland Road return in doubt. The problems are not so severe Leeds must now tear up their transfer plans for the forward line, the manager said.
The German’s comments do not rule out the possibility technical director Gretar Steinsson and interim football advisor Nick Hammond were already looking for forwards in this window.
“No, because I don’t think it will affect our transfer plans anyhow because I don’t think it’s an unbelievably long-term injury,” said Farke. “It’s not like ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) or something like this where you are months out.
“We hope it’s not too long. It could obviously affect the first game, let’s be honest, this is what the Championship is all about.
“You play every three days and if you missed two or three weeks anyhow, then it could be quite a quick four or five games. We hope for the best right now.
“In general, these types of injury happen in football and we have to accept it.”
