There’s a big seven games to go in the Sky Bet Championship, with Leeds United hoping to get over the line in the race for automatic promotion.

Leeds have been in and around the top-two all season, which has been the type of outcome many expected when Marcelo Bielsa arrived at Elland Road back in the summer.

Bielsa didn’t recruit heavily, but he was armed with a decent budget, with Patrick Bamford’s arrival, which came for a reported £7m that could rise to £10m, a mark of ambition.

And, Bamford’s arrival was greeted with a good response from Leeds’ fanbase…

The 25-year-old had been a success with Middlesbrough in the past, and whilst he’d not stuck around at any club for long, the striker looked like a solid addition to boost Leeds’ squad ahead of the season.

However, Bamford didn’t start the season as Leeds’ first choice centre-forward, with Kemar Roofe leading the line and enjoying a fine August. Bielsa’s show of faith came after a solid pre-season and Bamford was kicking his heels on the bench for the opening month of the season.

An unfortunate knee injury then left Bamford sidelined from August until December, when he returned to score in a 1-0 win over Bolton. But, another setback was just around the corner and Bamford missed a further month.

Now, he’s back in the side and leading the line, managing to take his goal tally to six Championship goals in 16 appearances during his debut season in Leeds.

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He isn’t hitting the heights expected, though, with the jury still out amongst a lot of Leeds’ supporters after an poor showing against Millwall last time out.

Nevertheless, if Bamford can help Leeds over the line in the next seven fixtures, £7m will look a bargain and all will be forgotten.

It’s been an injury-hit season for the striker, but you can’t deny he’s got a lot to prove.