Middlesbrough striker Patrick Bamford admits he’s relieved to escape a life of constant loan moves at Chelsea.
After six different loan spells during his time at Chelsea, it’s no wonder Patrick Bamford is glad to have finally settled down this season.
The 24-year-old is looking back to his best with Middlesbrough in the Championship, just over a year after joining the club on a permanent deal.
Bamford had been with Middlesbrough on loan in the past, scoring 19 goals for them during a loan spell in the 2014/15 season, but he admits it was part of a frustrating stop-start phase in his career.
Chelsea are not known for handing opportunities out to their young players, and Bamford is one of many to have found themselves in limbo at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking about his time with the Blues now, it’s clear the former England Under-21 international did not enjoy the stresses of being turfed out to different clubs in different parts of the country every few months.
“I’ve put those bad years behind me now, learnt a lot, and I am now just enjoying it,” Bamford told the Sun.
“To be here permanently is nice. It was a pain in the a*** having to load and unload all your furniture every six months and living out of a suitcase.
“Now I am settled, it’s much better.”
Bamford has scored 10 goals in 31 Championship games this season, with Middlesbrough now in a playoffs slot after their 2-1 home win against Bristol City Saturday. And Bamford won’t forget this game, which was stopped for 11 minutes as the Middlesbrough forward collided with Bristol City defender Aiden Flint which saw him given oxygen and stretchered off.
Although there were concerns about Bamford’s well-being, Gazette Live reports that Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis confirmed after the game that the player was ‘fine’.
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