MIDDLESBROUGH are set to lose out in the race for Patrick Bamford, with the Chelsea striker on the verge of signing a season-long loan at Crystal Palace.

Bamford held talks with Palace officials last week, and is understood to have sought assurances from Alan Pardew about his likely level of involvement at Selhurst Park next season.

Boro head coach Aitor Karanka has been in regular contact with both Bamford and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho throughout the summer, and had been hoping to persuade the England Under-21 international to return to the Riverside after last season’s successful loan spell.

Bamford has also been approached by a number of other top-flight clubs including Norwich City and Aston Villa, but sources in London claim he informed the Palace hierarchy yesterday afternoon that he would be signing on loan for the Eagles.

He is still hoping to make a breakthrough at Chelsea at some stage in the future, and regards a spell in the Premier League as the next logical stage in his development.

His decision to reject the offer of another season on Teesside is a blow to Karanka, although the Boro head coach always considered his capture as something of a long shot.

He will now instruct Boro’s recruitment team to step up their pursuit of Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes, although Rovers boss Gary Bowyer yesterday confirmed his club was still to receive an offer for the Scotland international.

Christian Stuani is set to complete a €3m move from Spanish side Espanyol later this week, having travelled to Boro’s Marbella base over the weekend to meet Karanka and the rest of the club’s coaching staff.

Stuani, who has just completed an extended break in the wake of his Copa America exploits with Uruguay, is still to undergo a medical on Teesside, but provided there are no problems, the 28-year-old should follow Alex Baptiste, Stewart Downing and Tomas Kalas to become Boro’s fourth signing of the summer.

That will still leave Karanka short of attacking options though, and the Spaniard is determined to land at least one more experienced striker before the new Championship season begins with a trip to Preston on August 9.

Boro signed off from their Spanish training camp in Marbella yesterday with a 1-0 defeat to Spanish Segunda Division side Real Balompedica Linense, with Karanka once again bemoaning his side’s lack of success in front of goal.

Last season’s tally of 68 Championship goals made the Teessiders the lowest scoring side in the top eight positions in the table, and both Bamford and Jelle Vossen have left since the end of the campaign.

Karanka is clearly frustrated at the continued failings of the attacking players currently at his disposal, with Kike having failed to kick on after starting last season impressively and youngster Bradley Fewster not looking ready to play a major role at Championship level.

“I have had the same feeling after all three games here,” said Karanka, who watched his side beat Leyton Orient and draw with Scunthorpe United as well as lose to Linense. “I think some players have played with a very good attitude, but some players didn’t take their chance.

“It wasn’t about the score (yesterday) because if we had taken our chances, we would have won three or four one. We have lost, and although I am pleased with some players, we need more. We need to score goals, we are missing a lot of chances.

“We need to score because, for example, (the Linense game) reminded me of what sometimes happened in the league last season. We had two or three chances, but didn’t take them, and then we conceded a goal and lost the game, so we need to improve that.”

Yesterday’s defeat came courtesy of a second-half header from Linense striker Diego Buitrago, and Karanka’s players will now continue their pre-season preparations at the less exotic location of Rockliffe Park ahead of Saturday’s friendly at Doncaster.

With Stewart Downing making his first start since completing a £5m switch from West Ham yesterday morning, Boro started brightly and Albert Adomah had a tenth-minute effort turned wide.

Adomah was denied by an offside flag as he put the ball in the net shortly after, before Daniel Ayala had a header saved on the goalline as Boro dominated the first half.

Kike twice went close at the start of the second period after coming off the bench at the break, but despite rarely threatening, Linense claimed victory when Buitrago headed home a cross from the right.

Middlesbrough: Mejias (Ripley 46); Nsue (Wildschut 67), Ayala (Burn 67), Fry (Jackson 46), Friend; Leadbitter, Clayton (Maloney 67); Adomah (Kalas 46), Downing (Carayol 67), Reach (Tomlin 46); Fewster (Kike 46).