BAMFORD A CLEVER OUI THING TO HELP RAPHINHA

PATRICK BAMFORD is striking up a partnership with Brazilian Raphinha – by speaking French.

Leeds playmaker Raphinha (left, with Bamford) has yet to learn English and mainly communicates in his native Portuguese.

But he was in France with Ligue 1 club Rennes before his £17million move in October and studious Bamford has stuck up a friendship with him on and off the pitch by using his A-level French.

“When he joined he didn’t speak English,” said Bamford. “He can speak a very small amount and is doing lessons. Because I can speak French and he was in France last year, we can talk. It means we got a rapport straight away because I made that effort.

“I joked with him after the Newcastle game when he shot instead of squaring it to me for a tap in.

“Since then he’s looked to me. We’re always talking on the pitch saying where I want it, where he wants it.

“We get on well. We work together on defensive corners too. We talk on who attacks the ball in front or goes behind. It is constant.

“We have a link up in everything. Mind it’s broken French with a very English accent. When French people hear it they think the accent’s brutal, but they understand.”

Bamford is delighted with Leeds’ performances which have seen three wins in four games ahead of the visit to Arsenal on Sunday.

Top scorer Bamford told the club’s podcast: “The last three games, not just personally but as a team, have been excellent.

“If at the start of the season you’d have said at the start of February you’ll go to Arsenal ahead of them in the league no one would have believed it.”