Middlesbrough hope to extend Patrick Bamford loan stay
Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka is hopeful of extending Patrick Bamford's loan stay beyond January.
The 21-year-old arrived at the Riverside Stadium from Chelsea in August and his current deal in due to expire in January, although the Boro boss is keeping his fingers crossed that old friend Jose Mourinho will be happy to leave the young striker where he is.
He told the club's official website: "I'm very pleased with Patrick. He took time to settle in because he arrived in the first international break, and it's always difficult to arrive at a new place without pre-season.
"It's a new place to live, a new club, new team-mates and a new manager. Now he's working really well, scoring goals and I think his confidence is high.
"I don't think we need to speak a lot about Patrick's contract because he's happy here, the club are happy he's here and I am happy having him here. He's always involved with the lads in the changing room, so I couldn't understand why we would have problems extending his loan.
"I would really like him to stay all season and he knows that, but it's not just me. I like to have players here who want to be here and not because I want them to be here."