‘He is so strong’… Patrick Bamford says £50m Chelsea player is looking so much better now

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Patrick Bamford has delivered some high praise on Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling for his performances this season.

Raheem Sterling had an inconsistent first campaign as a Chelsea player last year, but there’s no doubt that he’s now finding his rhythm at Stamford Bridge.

The 28-year-old winger is a key player in the side emerging under Mauricio Pochettino.

Bought for £50million (Daily Mail) from Manchester City, Sterling is beginning to look like one of Chelsea’s smarter purchases in recent times.

Patrick Bamford praise

Leeds striker Bamford, 30, has recalled playing against Sterling as a youngster and referred to him as “so strong”.

He thinks that the Chelsea forward is looking so much better this season, which should lead to a recall to the England squad.

Speaking on the My Mate’s A Footballer podcast, Bamford said: “Raz is so strong. I think the first time I came across him I was probably 10 when he was at QPR and we played in a tournament. He was a little kid, like tiny, and he was just running rings around everyone. Nobody knew him as Raheem Sterling, everyone would just say that Raheem kid. And then he moved to Liverpool and flourished from there.

“I think you see now, more than last year when he was at Chelsea, you’re seeing him properly in form and he’s really good.

“I think he will get called up again, it’s just one of them where there are players that have been playing well throughout the end of last season who have probably been in the camp and done well in the camp.”

Raheem Sterling on the up

Sterling’s importance in the Chelsea XI is growing every week.

It’s baffling for Blues supporters watching the speedster every game that he can’t get back into Gareth Southgate’s England group, especially with the Euro 2024 tournament just around the corner.

His pace, strength and directness looks fantastic right now as he finds form.

Speaking to The Daily Mail earlier this month, Graeme Souness hailed Sterling as a “dangerous” attacker that defenders hate facing.