Patrick Bamford's future may take a familiar turn

One of Chelsea's most lauded youngsters from last season's loan army, Patrick Bamford's loan spell at Crystal Palace has been a big disappointment so far not only for the fans but also for the player. Since an interview with The Sun in which he admitted things were not okay at Selhurst Park for him, he hasn't seen a single minute on the pitch.

Luckily for Bamford, his fortunes might get turned around for the second half of the season as Gazette Live reports (again) that his former loan club Middlesbrough are currently monitoring his situation at Crystal Palace. The Championship club know their chances of having Bamford at the club could be rather small due to competition from other suitors, including Premier League ones, but Mourinho's former assistant Aitor Karanka is a big fan of the striker and would surely offer plenty of opportunities to the kid.

Some have also been hopeful that Bamford could get a look-in from José Mourinho to become Chelsea's third-choice striker if Radamel Falcao's loan deal gets prematurely cut in the same manner as Bamford's; but given how critical it is for someone of his age to see first-team football constantly, as well as his lack of experience leading the line of a big club, it's unlikely that will happen. Perhaps next season, after making up for lost time spent on Crystal Palace's bench, Bamford can earn his chance at Stamford Bridge.