In a move to bolster Aston Villa’s goal scoring opportunities, Roberto Di Matteo looks to Chelsea’s young striker, Patrick Bamford, in a potential loan move.
Many reports began circulating Friday that Aston Villa look set to bring in Patrick Bamford on a year long loan from Chelsea. The twenty-three year old striker is not new to to the Sky Bet Championship after scoring seventeen goals two seasons ago while on loan at Middlesbrough–a team he helped take all the way to the Playoff Final.
I'm told Aston Villa are close to agreeing a loan deal for Patrick Bamford pic.twitter.com/EuPfy4mX8k
— Dean Jones (@DeanJonesSoccer) August 12, 2016
Since joining Chelsea in January 2012, Bamford has failed to make a single appearance for the Blues’ first team; instead seeing six loan moves in the last four years. Of which, have seen varying results of success. Bamford failed to score a single goal in fifteen Premier League appearances last season while on loan at both Crystal Palace and Norwich City.
Bamford possesses an all-around skill set as a typical number nine center forward. He’s quick without blistering pace, has a strong left foot without being a dead ball specialist, and quiet, quality technical ability with the ball at his feet. Standing at six feet, two inches tall, Bamford needs to improve his strength in order to add headed goals to his skill set.
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On paper, the quartet of Ross McCormack, Jordan Ayew, Patrick Bamford, and Rudy Gestede would be the most fearsome, diverse attacking set in the Sky Bet Championship. How these forwards are used and rotated by Roberto Di Matteo will determine the level of success and lethality at which they find the back of the net.
In other transfer news, new central defender James Chester starts alongside captain Tommy Elphick against Rotherham United. Aston Villa continue to scour the transfer market for fresh faces with the likes of Ritchie De Laet and Mile Jedinak linked with moves to Villa Park.