The reasoning behind former Premier League and England international Patrick Bamford training with Championship high-flyers Coventry City has finally been revealed.
The 32-year-old was recently spotted at the club’s training ground and has been a free agent since leaving the Premier League-bound Leeds United.
Patrick Bamford has been seen at Coventry City’s training ground as he searches for a new club.
The former Leeds striker has been a free agent since being released at the start of the season.
(Via: @mcgrathmike) pic.twitter.com/9b8xyWzAlD
— Second Tier podcast (@secondtierpod) October 24, 2025
The Truth Finally Revealed
After days of reports around why Bamford really is at Coventry, the rumours have seemingly been put to bed.
Rather than Frank Lampard actively seeking to bolster his attacking arsenal following a blistering opening to the campaign for the Sky Blues up top, fresh reports have emerged indicating that Patrick Bamford has simply been participating in training sessions with the squad as a personal courtesy extended by his old colleague.
During Patrick Bamford’s early years at Chelsea, Frank Lampard was an established senior player whose professionalism set the tone around the club. Although Bamford didn’t feature for the first team, he often trained alongside Lampard and other experienced figures, gaining insight into the standards required at the elite level.
Their relationship wasn’t close, but Lampard’s must have seemingly left an impression on the young forward. Bamford has been on record for speaking about observing how senior players conducted themselves day-to-day, lessons that shaped his approach as he built his own career across multiple clubs after leaving Chelsea’s academy system.
Is The Door Still Open?
Coventry City lead the Championship table with an astonishing +23 goal difference. Their front three have been central: Haji Wright and Brandon Thomas-Asante each have scored eight goals, with midfielder Victor Torp contributing six from the midfielder. The trio averages 2.8 goals per game and generates 17.8 shots per match.
Wright provides movement and link-up play, Torp offers late runs into the box, and Thomas-Asante adds pace on transitions. Coventry converts shots at a high rate and maintains consistent attacking output. Under Frank Lampard, the forward line has driven the team’s strong position at the top of the table and looks unlikely their is a need for a change of firepower up top.
Here, There and Everywhere
Patrick Bamford’s professional career began at Nottingham Forest, where he made his senior debut in December 2011 at age 18. A month later, Chelsea signed him for £1.5 million, launching a series of loans to build experience.
From 2012 to 2017, he featured for MK Dons, Derby County, Norwich City, and Burnley, scoring 13 times in the Premier League with Burnley in 2014-15.
He briefly returned to Chelsea for one substitute appearance in 2017 before a permanent £6 million move to Middlesbrough, where he netted 19 goals in the 2017-18 Championship season.
In 2018, Bamford joined Leeds United for £7 million. After modest returns in two Premier League relegation fights, he excelled in the 2019-20 Championship, scoring 16 goals to secure promotion under Marcelo Bielsa.
The 2020-21 Premier League campaign saw him hit a career-high 17 goals, earning the club’s Player of the Year award and a contract extension to 2026. Injuries have since hampered subsequent seasons, limiting him to under 20 appearances annually, as Leeds succumbed to relegation from the Premier League in 2023-24.
Born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, with dual English and Irish eligibility, Bamford represented the Republic of Ireland at U18 level before switching to the England youth teams, earning one cap each at U19 and U21 levels.
In August 2021, his Leeds form earned a first senior England call-up for World Cup qualifiers. He debuted on his 28th birthday against Andorra and scored his sole international goal four days earlier versus Albania in a 5-0 victory.
Writers View
Coventry sit top with a +23 goal difference; their front two, Haji Wright and Brandon Thomas-Asante, are firing to say the least, with 16 goals between them. game. The Sky Blues attack is balanced, deep and functioning at Championship peak; more importantly, they’ve managed to stay fit.
Yet Patrick Bamford, 32, free agent and with a 17-goal Premier League season on his CV and two Championship promotions at Elland Road, remains a proven option if needed. His hold-up play, aerial presence and most importantly, break from injuries, signal readiness. Should rotation demands rise, injuries strike, or fixture congestion come to fruition, adding a player of his calibre costs only what may be high wages. For a club chasing promotion, it looks to be a low-risk move. If fit and available, it’s a no-brainer.
