Paul Merson has written in The Daily Star that Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa has transformed Patrick Bamford.
The former Arsenal and Aston Villa star has said that Bamford would not have got the chance to play for England had Bielsa not improved him at Leeds.
The Sky Sports pundit made the comments about the 28-year-old striker while discussing the impact Bielsa has made on the Leeds players.
Merson wrote in The Daily Star: “The one thing I will say about him is that he does make players better.
“He’s got Patrick Bamford into the England squad when you couldn’t have seen that at one time.
“Kalvin Phillips is very good and has blossomed under Bielsa and Raphina could play for anybody you want to name and I’d include the likes of Man City and Chelsea in that.”
Improving and developing
Bamford cost Leeds £7 million in transfer fees when they signed him from Middlesbrough in the summer of 2018, as reported by Sky Sports.
The striker has improved a lot under Bielsa at Leeds and is now an England international.
That was hard to imagine a few years ago when he was struggling at Norwich City and Burnley among other clubs.
What Bielsa has done is given Bamford confidence and has allowed him to make mistakes.
There have often been accusations that the 28-year-old misses chances, but so do all strikers.
Bamford plays even if he misses chances.
Bielsa clearly rates the striker highly.
The Leeds no. 9 scored 17 goals and gave seven assists in the Premier League last season.
Bamford scored 16 goals and provided two assists in the Championship in 2019-20.
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