Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford quits Crystal Palace

By Peter Gilbert

Tuesday 29 December 2015 11:47, UK

Patrick Bamford has announced he has played his last game of a "terrible" loan spell at Crystal Palace.

Bamford was due to remain at Selhurst Park until the summer but the striker is now set to return to Chelsea after growing frustrated at the lack of opportunities under manager Alan Pardew.

Sky Sports News HQ understands that there is a clause in the contract that would allow the agreement to be reviewed and Chelsea plan to speak to the player and Palace in January.

The 22-year-old was voted Championship Player of the Year last season after helping Middlesbrough reach the play-off final by scoring 17 league goals.

He joined the Eagles in July and bagged a pre-season hat-trick but has since started only two Capital Cup games and made just six appearances in the league from the bench.

Bamford came on at half-time in the goalless draw against Swansea on Monday and missed a great chance to score his first goal for Palace when he fired straight at goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski from 10 yards out.

"This was my last game for Palace," Bamford said. "If I were being honest, it has been terrible. No one wants to sit on the bench and not play.

"It was my decision. The coaches have just found out - I have told them I am going. The gaffer hasn't actually spoken to me. I will go in and say bye now. But I think it will be fine. Shake hands and say it didn't work out. No hard feelings."

Pardew was unaware of Bamford's wish to terminate his season-long loan spell when he spoke to the media.

"Strikers will always tell you they need five games," said Pardew of Bamford's form. "Managers ain't got time for five games. You've got to come in and do it.

"But that chance was normally one he would take. Patrick nine times out of 10 would have buried that and we'd have got three points. But I can't be disappointed.

"Maybe he just needs that goal to give him that spark that strikers need."

When asked if Chelsea would recall Bamford in January, Pardew added: "I think it's a conversation we'll have to have with Chelsea for sure, but we haven't had it yet."

Watch Crystal Palace take on Chelsea live on Sky Sports 1 on Sunday from 12:30pm