Former Leeds United forward Patrick Bamford could be set for a surprise return to English football after being spotted at the training ground of a Championship club.
Patrick Bamford has been without a club since the end of the summer transfer window when he was released from his Leeds contract.
The former England international found his playing time limited under Daniel Farke last season and remains on the lookout for his next club as he looks to get his career back on track.
Bamford was linked with a surprise move to La Liga side Getafe after his Leeds exit, but that move never materialised.
Now, he has been spotted at Coventry City’s training ground, who currently top the Championship table under Frank Lampard.
Patrick Bamford during Leeds United v Middlesbrough - Carabao Cup First Round.
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Patrick Bamford spotted at Coventry City’s training ground
According to a post from Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath on the social media site X (formerly Twitter), Bamford has been seen at Coventry’s training ground.
This would represent a significant move for Bamford and potentially offer him a route back into the Premier League, given Coventry’s strong form this season.
McGrath’s post states: “Patrick Bamford seen at Coventry City training ground. The 32-year-old striker has been a free agent after leaving Leeds United at the start of the season.”
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Lampard has transformed the Sky Blues this season, and they currently top the table with 25 points from 11 games, one point clear of Middlesbrough in second.
However, with star playmaker and one-time Leeds target Jack Rudoni currently sidelined, Lampard may be looking for ways to add to his options in the final third.
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard vs Leeds United
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Former Leeds United man has an awkward first experience with Frank Lampard
Bamford and Lampard were teammates for a period, as the former Leeds man attempted to break into the first team during his time with Chelsea.
Lampard was an experienced senior professional in the Chelsea squad at that time, while Bamford was coming up through the ranks, and his first exposure to the first-team training did not go fully to plan for the striker.
Speaking to the BBC in 2023, Bamford said: “I was a little bit nervous. It would have been Frank Lampard, Fernando Torres, Raul Meireles, Paulo Ferreira, John Terry, Bosingwa, Daniel Sturridge and Ashley Cole. It was a good group.”
He added: “We were warming up, so literally jogging through cones and on the last one, you jog up and do fast feet and come back around. As I got to the last cone, I went to turn around and put my foot on the cone without realising and stacked it. Just fell over, slipped, [my] leg went under me, and I fell over.”
He will be hoping to make a better impression on the now-Coventry manager during training with the Championship leaders.