Joe Short of The Daily Express has reported some interesting quotes in regards to Chelsea’s Patrick Bamford from Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka.
Speaking to the Gazette, he said,
I don’t think Patrick’s coming [back to Middlesbrough on loan] because he showed everybody last season that he can play in the Premier League and I am sure he has offers to play in the Premier League, he has offers to play in other countries because he is a very good player.
To me, he’s pointed out the obvious here. But some Chelsea supporters need a reality check when it comes to Patrick Bamford. The twenty-one year old absolutely smashed it at Middlesbrough last season, scoring nineteen goals and being named the Championship’s best player.
However, some Blues’ fans were calling for the youngster to be our third striker next season, which is just silly!
The player said himself back in April,
I don’t have any reason not to be at Chelsea. It is my dream to put on that blue shirt and play for them eventually. However, after two years regularly playing out on loan, going back and sitting on the bench wouldn’t really help me.
Plus, the signing of Falcao means that we now have three strikers in the first team.
For me, there’s only one option for Bamford next season, and it’s yet another loan. A loan not to the Championship, but to a Premier League side. Last season’s loan allowed us to gauge the striker’s quality. He was one of the Championship’s brightest superstars despite being just a loanee.
We now know that he should be capable of holding his own in England’s top flight, which he’ll have to be and more if he plans on making it at Chelsea. The best way to find out is by sending him off on a season-long loan deal to a Premier League club.
But who? Clubs such as West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle United, and Sunderland were previously interested in either loaning or buying Patrick Bamford. In recent rumblings over a Chelsea swoop for Stoke City’s Asmir Begovic, there were reports that The Potters want a youngster on loan as part of the deal, and Bamford was one of the players named.
One thing’s for sure though: Patrick Bamford needs to play Premier League football next season.
