Leeds United headlines: Strike duo limp off at Hearts; Farke gives transfer response

Both Georginio Rutter and Patrick Bamford went off injured in Leeds’ final pre-season friendly of the summer at Hearts on Sunday, the former in the first half and the latter in the second.

Rutter appeared to suffer a muscle problem in his side and though he played on and managed to produce a couple of eye-catching passes, he soon succumbed to the issue and had to be replaced.

Bamford, who took the Frenchman’s spot up front, was heavily involved until the latter stages of the second half when he went down after a clash with Kye Rowles. The Hearts defender caught Bamford with a high boot and as the forward fell to the turf he briefly clutched his hamstring.

Leeds’ head of medicine and performance Rob Price was quickly onto the pitch and immediately signalled for a substitution.

Losing both Rutter and Bamford could leave Farke with just youngster Mateo Joseph as an option for the No 9 shirt when United kick-off against Cardiff City next Sunday.

“A muscle injury in his core,” said the manager of Rutter’s problem. “After movement, we hope it’s not too bad, we have to wait for the assessment, it’s too early to say something. But anyhow, a core muscle I think.

“It seems to be like a hamstring injury [for Bamford]. It’s more or less the same. Something happened after the sprint and we have to wait for the assessment.”

Farke was asked if the injuries exacerbated one of the club’s summer transfer issues that already needed addressing but he disagreed.“No, because I don’t think it will affect our transfer plans anyhow

because I don’t think it’s unbelievable long-term injuries,” he said.

“It’s not like an ACL or something like this where you’re a month out so we hope that’s not too long.“It could obviously affect the first game, let’s be honest and this is also what the Championship is all about. You play every three days.

“And if you miss two or three weeks anyhow then it could be quite quick – four or five games – so we hope for the best right now. In general, this type of injury happens in football sadly and we have to accept it.”

Farke, meanwhile, can find few arguments against signing Sam Byram but says Leeds United's ambition in the transfer market should be judged after August.

Byram has been on trial with the Whites following his departure from Norwich City and the Thorp Arch academy graduate featured again at Hearts in the final friendly of the summer.

The right-back has been used on the opposite side of the back four by Farke and with Junior Firpo currently out with another injury issue, Byram has joined Leo Hjelde as the German's left-back options. Farke is not yet ready to say that Leeds will offer the 29-year-old a deal.

"We will see, so we will assess right now," said the manager. "We have not discussed so far but we know what we've got. Sam is a great lad, great attitude, experienced, homegrown player, free agent so then I don't find many, many arguments against him, with more or less some really good performances.

“But yes, we'll have a closer look at this. It's not a big topic and not a big issue. But we're all happy that he's gone through this pre-season without any injuries and also we need to listen to what he thinks and what he wants and then I will come to a conclusion I think over the next week."