Aitor Karanka has ruled out bringing Patrick Bamford back to Middlesbrough on loan next season as he admits that the Chelsea striker is too good for the Championship.
The 21-year-old scored 19 goals for Boro last term and was voted Championship Player of the Year as the Teesside club finished fourth in the table.
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The Independent had tipped him to stay on at the Riverside Stadium if Boro gained promotion to the Premier League, but they lost 2-0 to Norwich City in the playoff final at Wembley.
And now Karanka, assistant to Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, acknowledges that his chances of signing Bamford again are unlikely.
He is quoted by The Gazette as saying: “I don’t think Patrick’s coming 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.”
The Daily Mail claims that Bamford may be offered a Premier League loan and a chance to return to the North East for the 2015-16 campaign by Boro’s rivals Newcastle United.
Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion are also monitoring the forward’s availability, according to the Birmingham Mail, but Bamford has insisted that he wants to make an impact at Stamford Bridge.
He is quoted by The Metro as saying in March 2015: “I have discussed my career path with Jose on many occasions and am very happy with it. Everyone’s aim is for me to continue to develop as a player under Jose’s supervision and to have a long and successful career at Chelsea.”
Although Didier Drogba is no longer a Blue, establishing himself at the Premier League champions will still be very difficult for Bamford considering the arrival of Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan as competition for Diego Costa, as The Mirror reports.
Left out of England’s Under-21 squad for the 2015 European Championships, the former Nottingham Forest trainee will have all summer to weigh up his future. But it will not be at Middlesbrough.
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