Alex Neil: 'Patrick Bamford worth £10m'

Norwich City manager Alex Neil has claimed that new signing Patrick Bamford is worth at least £10m.

The 22-year-old striker joined the Canaries on loan from Chelsea over the weekend, having previously cut short his loan spell with Crystal Palace due to a lack of playing time.

Bamford failed to find the net in his six substitute appearances for the Eagles but was prolific at Championship side Middlesbrough last season, scoring 17 times in 32 league appearances.

"Obviously he did extremely well last season and won Championship Player of the Year," Neil told reporters today. "If we had tried to recruit him in the summer you would have been talking double figures, £10m-plus.

"The fact we can get that calibre player in on a loan deal between now and the end of the season will hopefully increase our firepower and give us a bit more competition."

Neil added that Bamford will not be guaranteed playing time at Carrow Road and will have to compete with Dieumerci Mbokani and Cameron Jerome for a place in the first team.