Patrick Bamford explained he held no hard feelings towards his difficult time with Chelsea, despite being shocked by the number of loans he endured.
Speaking on the Peter Crouch Podcast, the Leeds United forward was open about his failed move to the Blues back in 2012.
Bamford signed for Chelsea shortly after they had claimed Champions League glory that previous season.
Before he had even set foot in Stamford Bridge, the England striker was sent out on loan to MK Dons, a cycle that would be repeated another five times to different clubs.
“I knew the pathway would be loans- I didn’t realise it would be six or seven loans later,” Bamford explained life at the Bridge.
“It kind of built me up. I finally decided I wanted to find a place where I could settle down.”
After failing to play a single minute of senior football for Chelsea, Bamford moved to Middlesbrough in 2017 before joining Leeds a year later.
A lot has changed since signing for the Blues, but the 27-year-old holds no grudges about his disappointing time in South West London.
He said: “When I signed there (Chelsea), I obviously had the dream of breaking into the first team.
“I don’t have any regret or resent them for not getting a chance, because at the time they were winning the Premier League, winning the Champions League and were one of the best teams in Europe.”
A squad lined with the likes of Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres was always going to be difficult for a fresh-faced youngster like Bamford to break into.
However, despite their stellar status, a majority of the squad welcomed their newest arrival into the group with open arms.
“Lamps I got on well with, JT as well,” admitted Bamford about those Blues stars he got on well with.
“Ashley Cole. The English lads were all good. Gary Cahill.
“The foreign lads were good as well. Fernando Torres helped me a fair bit as a striker.
“I don’t think he was threatened by me. I think he saw me as a youngster trying to learn his craft. He was going through a tough time, so that makes it more meaningful I guess.”
Bamford can probably look back on his Chelsea career more fondly now he’s lighting it up for Leeds.
And who knows- the Blues might try to re-sign him as they hunt for a new centre-forward.
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