Leeds United saw plenty of heroes forged in their triumphant return to the Premier League in 2020, but arguably none more so than Patrick Bamford.

The wiry striker joined amidst great scrutiny from the English media, the likes of which would persist throughout his time with the Whites before he would eventually fire them into silence.

It seems that the 29-year-old's career never truly got going until he moved to Elland Road, where he became an integral spearhead at the front of Marcelo Bielsa's infamous system.

The English forward was actually one of his first signings in that summer of 2018, as he parted with £7m to tempt him from Middlesbrough. This is a figure that would only continue to rise alongside his performances.

Whilst injuries might have marred his recent campaigns, Bamford remains a great servant to the club and will likely go down in their history for his goalscoring efforts in firing them back to the big time.

How much is Patrick Bamford worth?

With a first season at the club stuttered due to various ailments, the 2019/20 campaign would see him notch 16 goals as they cruised out of the Championship, a feat that had troubled so many before them.

However, this was arguably when the media scrutiny reached its apex on the marksman. Many believed he did not have what it took to thrive in the Premier League, yet he would actually outperform his earlier tally by scoring 17 and assisting a further eight as Leeds finished ninth.

Radio presenter Matt Abbott even took to Twitter to wax lyrical about Bamford, claiming: "Absolutely stunning from Bamford. I realise folk'll moan about the fact that he hit the post, but I'm not having it - he's #LUFC personified right now".

Not only has he become a huge fan favourite, but FootballTransfers suggest that his value has soared alongside his standing in the game. They rate the apex of his expected Transfer Value at €16.8m (£14.7m), marking a 111% increase since signing.

The former Chelsea man has been a marvellous transfer for the club, serving as one of the numerous acts that Bielsa must be commended for. Whilst he has struggled of late for fitness and form, should he recapture his old ways then relegation would be far from a threat to this giant of the English game.