Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has insisted that the club won't rush forward Patrick Bamford as he approaches his long-awaited return from injury.

The 25-year-old has been out of action since the end of August with a knee ligament injury and has made just seven appearances for the Whites since his £10m arrival from Middlesbrough in the summer.

The forward is edging ever closer to a first-team return having been an unused substitute in Leeds' 2-1 win over QPR at the weekend, however, Bielsa has insisted that Leeds won't rush him and will give him time to fully recover.

"He’s a very important player but it’s one thing to be fit and another to recover his performances," Bielsa told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

"I think he’ll need some time to get to the level he was at before he got injured -  but we’re very happy to have him back so he can start the process of getting to his level sooner than we were expecting.”

Leeds will be hopeful that Bamford is fit and available in preparation for their hectic Christmas period, as the Whites look to cement their place in the automatic promotion places.

Bielsa's men currently sit second in the table, one point off top spot and five points clear of the play-off places.

The Verdict

This is a wise call by Bielsa - when you consider how unlucky they have been with injuries this season, the last thing Leeds want to do is throw Bamford straight into the deep end after a torrid time out with injury.

He has proven over the years that he can be a clinical goalscorer at this level and he will be hungry to finally show Leeds fans what he's all about after his high-profile addition in the summer.

Thoughts? Let us know!