Arriving at Stamford Bridge over a decade ago, Frank Lampard has since gone on to become one of Chelsea’s greatest ever players. Playing in over 400 Premier League matches and scoring 201 goals (one off the all time club record set by Bobby Tambling) the 34 year old has created somewhat of a legacy in West London.
In his time at the club he has achieved everything there is to achieve in club football. Alongside the remarkable achievement of captaining his Chelsea side to European Cup glory, the England international has won the Premier League on 3 occasions, the FA cup 4 times, 2 League Cups and 2 Community Shields. Lampard has been ever present throughout the most successful period Chelsea Football Club have ever witnessed.
He could yet finish this season with a Europa League winners medal after guiding the Blues to a top 4 finish in the Barclays Premier League. So the question has to be asked, why are Chelsea happy for the curtain to close on the career of one of their greatest ever servants?
With the season drawing to a close, and Lampard yet to be offered a new deal, the prospect that he will be playing elsewhere next season is looking more and more likely. A prospect which is likely not only to anger the legions of fans who turn out every fortnight at the Bridge, but the men he shares a dressing room with.
In the past few weeks, both club captain John Terry and Victor Moses have come out in support of their teammate. It has been made abundantly clear that they feel he still has something to offer the club and who could argue given his form this season?
The midfielder has chipped in with vital goals against Everton and most recently League Cup winners Swansea among others. He may not have the engine of old, the ability to work from box to box, but he quite clearly still has the class to contribute to another successful season at Chelsea.
This, a point amplified by the fact that there are said to be no shortage of takers for Lampard were he to leave in the summer. Sir Alex Ferguson has come out on the record to declare his admiration for the midfielder, while AC Milan, LA Galaxy and Paris Saint-Germain have all been tipped to secure his services.
However, all that being said, whispers have emerged regarding a new deal for Lampard if Mourinho were to take the reigns from Benitez at the end of the season. The special one dropped his biggest hint that he could return to West London following Dortmund’s elimination of his Madrid side in the Champions League Semi final. Lampard was vital to Mourinho’s side when he lead Chelsea to glory in his earlier spell at the club and many will be watching with interest to see if that relationship rekindles.
Despite Chelsea TV recently describing Lampard as an ‘ex-Chelsea midfielder’, hope remains that if the special one returns to Stamford Bridge, some special news regarding a club legend may follow. If not, then the curtain falls on something which has become synonymous with the English Premier League, Lampard and Chelsea.