Striker
Patrick Bamford has urged Chelsea to let him compete for a first-team place
next season.
The 21-year-old, crowned Championship player of the year on Sunday, has been
superb on a season-long loan at promotion-chasing Middlesbrough this term,
scoring 19 goals in 41 appearances.
Bamford has spent the past three seasons on loan in the lower divisions,
playing for MK Dons between November 2012 and January 2014 and then Derby at
the end of last season.
The England U21 international has a year left on his current deal at
Stamford Bridge and he warned the Blues of his reluctance to sit on the
bench next term.
“I want to play for Chelsea, I hope I do get that chance and I think I can
compete,” he told Sky Sports.
“A lot of people said I left Nottingham Forest for the wrong reasons, but
that wasn’t true. I wanted to play for a top team like Chelsea.
“However, after two years regularly playing out on loan, going back and
sitting on the bench wouldn’t really help me.
“So it’s down to those at the top at Chelsea to decide what will be the best
for my career and what to do next year.”
Bamford joined Chelsea from Forest in January 2012 but has never made a
first-team appearance, instead scoring 21 goals in 44 appearances for MK
Dons.
He then bagged eight in 21 for Derby as they reached the Championship
play-off final last season.
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