SHOWCASE-Soccer-Karanka wants Traore to stay focussed

Jan 20 (Reuters) - Winger Adama Traore should be focussed on the increased competition in Middlesbrough's ranks following the arrivals of strikers Rudy Gestede and Patrick Bamford this month, manager Aitor Karanka has said. Despite failing to score this season, Traore, who has been linked to leaders Chelsea by the British media, has impressed in his 16 appearances for Middlesbrough, with his trademark lung-bursting runs often leaving the opposition defence behind. "If a team like Chelsea is following Adama, it's because his progression has been brilliant in six months and he's doing well," Karanka told British media. "But he's young and the main thing he has to do is to keep going in the same way because football changes a lot. "Maybe he is in a big moment, but with Patrick here now, with other players already, maybe in two or three months, he will not be playing and Chelsea disappears and everybody disappears." The 23-year-old Bamford joined six different clubs on loan during his time at Stamford Bridge, most recently making six substitute appearances for Burnley this season. Karanka said he will look to rebuild Bamford's confidence. "He has that mentality that a player who plays up front needs to have. A player who plays up front needs to try to score goals and he is always trying to score goals," the Spaniard added. "It's a surprise that he hasn't played. He has had two starts in 18 months -- I hope we can finish the season with much, much better figures for him." Middlesbrough, who are 16th in the Premier League, host 12th-placed West Ham United on Saturday. (Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru)