Frank Lampard breaks silence on Patrick Bamford transfer decision after Leeds United exit
Speculation surrounding the former Leeds United striker emerged after he was spotted training with Coventry City last week.
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard insists Patrick Bamford’s presence in training is nothing more than a favour for the former Leeds United striker.
Bamford was spotted taking part in Coventry training last week, with the 32-year-old yet to find a new club after leaving Elland Road in the summer. He and Leeds mutually decided to cut a contract 12 months short after Daniel Farke made it clear the striker was not in his Premier League plans.
Despite strong links over a potential move to Getafe recently, Bamford remains without a club and contacted former Chelsea boss Lampard to see if he could maintain fitness down at Coventry. Speculation over a potential move to the Championship club was inevitable but the former Leeds striker’s situation has been clarified.
“Yeah, I guess you could call it doing him a favour,” Lampard told CoventryLive of the striker’s involvement in training. “I know Patrick well and he hasn’t got a club. He’s training with us.
“I’m very happy, he’s a good lad, Patrick. He’s very easy. I know the conclusions everyone’s going to get to but he’s just training with us.”
Coventry have been flying high this season and currently top the Championship, with a 3-1 win at home to Watford their sixth in a row. The Sky Blues are unbeaten in 12 Championship games and have scored a whopping 34 goals already.
Patrick Bamford transfer latest after Leeds United exit
That would suggest a move for Bamford is unlikely but Leeds fans know a free agent can win a potential contract with good performances in training. Sam Byram was unattached when he returned to Thorp Arch three years ago and remains a Whites squad member, having put pen to paper on a new deal over the summer.
It remains to be seen where Bamford will end up, but Leeds fans will certainly have an eye on the future of their two-time Championship title winner. They will also be keen to hear his side of the summer just gone, given he suggested there was a story to tell in his leaving announcement.
“The club became a massive part of my world, and I tried to make you proud by doing the most I could on the pitch and also in the community,” he said at the time of leaving. “As in any walk of life, there have been challenges, and we've had our ups and downs as the song goes, but I've always felt strongly connected with both fans and the community. But as I leave here, I'm a married man to my beautiful wife, Michaela, and we have two beautiful girls who were born here in Yorkshire.
“Right now, with the way it has come to an end and the way things have been handled recently, it's all a little bit too raw to reflect on immediately, but I think in the years to come and further down the line, I'll look back at this period of my life with nothing but joy, pride and be super happy with what I've achieved and the fact that I was able to wear this number nine shirt in front of you guys for this many years.”