Thursday 1 January 2015 08:36, UK
Chelsea youngster Patrick Bamford has extended his loan at Middlesbrough for the rest of the season.
The England U21 international has excelled on loan at the Riverside this season, scoring eight goals in 19 appearances.
The Blues are understood to be delighted with Bamford’s progress under Jose Mourinho’s former assistant Aitor Karanka, currently head coach at Boro, and will allow him to continue his development in the north east.
Karanka said: “He loves to be here, we love him here, the squad wants him here and the crowd loves him too.
He loves to be here and we love him too
“He's a very good player. I wanted him in the first month of when I arrived. He's a young lad, he has to improve and he has to learn, but he understands the team is the main thing and he wants to be a part of it."
Bamford, 21, is one of English football's brightest prospects and thrived on loan at Derby County last season, featuring in their unsuccessful play-off campaign in the Championship.
Bamford, who signed for Chelsea as a 17-year-old from Nottingham Forest, previously spent over a season on loan at League One side MK Dons, where he scored 21 goals in 44 appearances.
MIddlesbrough are still waiting on decisions from Tottenham and Chelsea over whether they can extend the loans of defender Milos Veljkovic and goalkeeper Jamal Blackman.
