Ex-Leeds United star 'spotted' at Coventry City - Frank Lampard could seal transfer | OneFootball

Patrick Bamford has been spotted at Coventry City's training ground

Former Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford has been spotted at high-flying Coventry City's training ground on Friday morning amid a potential free transfer to the Sky Blues.

According to Mike McGrath via X, former Leeds striker Bamford has been spotted at Coventry's training ground ahead of a potential move, following his release from the Whites this summer by mutual consent.

Now 32, Bamford has made over 350 career league appearances for the likes of Leeds, Middlesbrough, MK Dons, Derby County, Crystal Palace, Norwich City, Burnley and Nottingham Forest, but it was with the former where he found most success.

The once-capped former England international hit 60 goals and grabbed 25 assists in 205 games for Leeds across all competitions, including a stellar 2020/2021 season in the Premier League, where he hit 17 goals and nine assists in 38 top-flight games across that season.

Having been without a club since his release from Leeds just a few months ago, Bamford could well be on the verge of joining Championship table-toppers Coventry to reinforce their already on-fire attack.

Patrick Bamford has been spotted at Coventry City training ground ahead of a potential free transfer

On Friday morning, Mike McGrath reported that the former Leeds forward had been spotted at Coventry's training ground, with rumours of a potential free transfer beginning to swirl.

Having come through the youth ranks at Chelsea, Sky Blues manager Frank Lampard will be familiar with Bamford and well aware of what he can bring to the table.

Since the 2020/2021 season, Bamford has struggled for consistent game time, largely due to persistent injury problems, which have kept him out of the side.

In the Championship last season with Leeds, the Englishman made 17 appearances. However, each of those was from the bench, notching up just 235 league minutes across the entire campaign as the Whites earned promotion back to the Premier League.

He spent seven years with Leeds, and for the first time in his career, is a free agent, but with Coventry lurking, a move back to the second tier could well and truly be on the cards.

Patrick Bamford is unlikely to be a regular at Coventry City, but he possesses invaluable promotion experience from the Championship

Coventry have been the Championship's outstanding side in the early stages of this season, sitting top of the league after 11 games with seven wins and four draws, meaning that they remain the only side in the EFL to remain unbeaten.

The Sky Blues have been particularly eye-catching in front of goal, having netted 31 times already, an average of 2.8 goals scored per match, with the likes of Brandon Thomas-Asante, Haji Wright and Victor Torp leading the way for them up top.

Both Wright and Ellis Simms have shared the centre-forward in Lampard's one-striker system, and should either of the two pick up an injury across the season, it leaves them short in this area.

With Bamford potentially arriving, it's unlikely he will ask to be a regular starter for the side, given his recent injury record and Coventry's proficiency in front of goal, but he would provide some much-needed cover in the event of an injury.

Bamford has twice been promoted to the Premier League, both with Leeds, and could provide some much-needed experience towards Coventry's push for top-flight football, in what may prove to be a savvy bit of business by Lampard and Coventry.