'He's like a little kid' - Patrick Bamford opens up on 'class' Leeds United summer signing

Patrick Bamford has revealed that Leeds United teammate Raphinha is “like a little kid” away from the pitch.
Patrick Bamford of Leeds United celebrates with Raphinha. (Photo by Molly Darlington - Pool/Getty Images)Patrick Bamford of Leeds United celebrates with Raphinha. (Photo by Molly Darlington - Pool/Getty Images)
Patrick Bamford of Leeds United celebrates with Raphinha. (Photo by Molly Darlington - Pool/Getty Images)

The Brazilian winger has made quite the impact at Elland Road since arriving from French side Rennes over the summer, hitting four goals and four assists in 17 Premier League outings so far.

The 24-year-old has also attracted plenty of attention from onlookers too, with Paul Merson heaping praise on him recently, and Liverpool said to be monitoring his progress in Yorkshire.

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But Bamford has admitted that the South American has established himself as a mischievous presence in the Whites’ dressing room.

Speaking on the Official Leeds United Podcast, he said: ““He’s super relaxed off the pitch, like really relaxed.

“He’s like a little bit of a little kid. He likes messing around, playing little jokes and stuff.

“I think he just enjoys football. [He’s a] Typical Brazilian. He just likes having the ball, he’s so relaxed.

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“You can tell that he’s got that body language where if he loses the ball, it doesn’t affect him, and the next time he gets it, he wants to try something. He’s going from strength to strength.

"Yesterday [Monday’s match against Crystal Palace] defenders couldn’t live with him. The things he was doing – that trick on Cahill – he is class.

"I said in the interview after the game that when players join, sometimes in training you can tell straight away, and straight away you could see in his finishing and everything, he is good.”

Bamford added: “He doesn’t speak English great.

"He can understand it, and he can speak it in very small amounts – he’s doing lessons at the minute – but because I can speak French a little bit, and he was in France for a year, we kind of speak in French.

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"He speaks to Rodrigo and Costa in Portuguese, but I speak French to him, so we kind of have that rapport because I made a bit of an effort.

"I had a little bit of a joke with him after the Newcastle game when he shot instead of squaring it to me as a tap-in, and ever since then he’s always looked to me.

"We’re always talking on the pitch, telling each other where we want it, so we do get on well.”