Debate: Should Chelsea sell Lampard?
After two years of contractual negotiations with Chelsea, Frank Lampard has rejected a four-year deal worth £130,000 a week that would make him the highest-paid footballer in Britain.
Lampard's agent, Steve Kutner, has implied that the England international will leave for Inter Milan unless Chelsea offer him a five-year agreement.
Is that a fair demand from a 30-year-old? Is he really that good? Should the club not call his bluff and cash in before his contract runs out next summer?
Have your say in the comment box below.
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Sell him and use the money to ruin another promising young English talent.
Like SWP, Sidwell, Johnson, Parker etc
Posted by: Scott Parker | 13 Jul 2008 23:09:58
Lampard is 30 yrs old , he's just taking the mickey here . get rid of him now
Posted by: Keith | 13 Jul 2008 22:28:33
Do not sell Lampard! If you sell
him the next will be drogba, essien,
carvalho - Jose wants to buy his players for cheap.. this should not
be allowed.. Lamp scores because he
has a good kick and plays with guys
like essien. He is not a good player.
Let him play for chelsea for his last year and drop him to Inter.
Posted by: Sergey | 13 Jul 2008 21:23:48
I think that Lamps do better stay at chelsea. it's a good thing for him and the club. he should accept chelsea's offer which is rally fair. I am sure he will soon get lost at inter, the Italian league is not stable. it is silly I think to let the best European league for one of a lower level and competitiveness.
Posted by: kamel | 13 Jul 2008 19:50:09
Its absolutely rediculous that chelsea are trying to keep Lampard. if hes not happy and has turned down that amount of money, theres no point. they may as well sell for 11 or 12 million and buy decent english young talent for the future.
He doesnt want to be there, and chelsea are only holding on to him because they dont want to do business with mourinho.
Posted by: Kate | 13 Jul 2008 16:22:33
Always sell an unhappy player. The alternative is poor performances and less money down the line. Let him go, Abramovich - it's good business sense!
Posted by: Roger | 13 Jul 2008 10:08:36
"I may quit d blues if Lampard leave,likewise others in Nigeria. UP BLUES ONE LOVE" Hahaha such loyalty from Chelski's 'fans' in Nigeria I see!
Posted by: Christopher O'Brien | 12 Jul 2008 15:44:50
I don't understand why some of the blog's refer to Lampard as 'average'. His goalscoring stats are astonishing for a midfielder-something like 110 goals for Chelsea. Also he has only missed about 8 games for Chelsea in 7 years. He is a leader on the pitch, and while I think Ballack could do his job if he went, I would be sad to see him go.I think Lampard should be given what he wants and be able to finish his career at Chelsea.
Posted by: philip gebhardt | 12 Jul 2008 14:45:52
He's being greedy by demanding 5 years at £130K per week which is by a long way much more per week than the fans who, like me, come through the turnstiles homne and away, will earn in many years. He will be past it soon and would be collecting his dosh while sitting in the treatment room or on the bench.
So come on Lumpy do the decent thing and put a transfer request in. Oh, hang on, you can't do that because you and your agent will lose fees that way. Go quickly and let the club get on and replace you with a younger player who actually wants to play for the club and not their bank balances.
You'll struggle over there and disappear without trace and without your mates around you will want out again very quickly, with Jose or without Jose, being around.
Posted by: Wolfie | 12 Jul 2008 14:08:36
i cry when chelsea lost the game and rejoiced when they win a game that kind of a fan of chelsea i am.
i am impressed by the skill shown by the senior players who love to fight for the club. but what lampard did right now is really sad. at 30 so demanding is betraying to the fan and the club. his bone are going pain soon.if he really love the club as he say he should also think twice as the offer made by chelsea he have play for is quite resonable. if not its a time to sell him off. and look for improving the club that i love. and not the play. he sound greedy.
Posted by: DON KOREN | 12 Jul 2008 13:01:19
I really beleive that Frank wants a new challenge over in Italy with his old friend Jose even if chelsea did call his bluff and offered him his five year contract i don't think he would sign its just an excuse . chelsea will want to get the best price if inter won't pay then he will run his contract down play one more season giving his professional best with no sulking or demanding that if chelsea don't sell him he will go on strike ,leaving him to negotiate an even bigger deal ,trebles all round just dont get injured Frank
Posted by: james | 12 Jul 2008 09:55:19
"Italy has 4 world cups"
2 from the 1930s, big deal. What's that got to do with your league anyway?
Posted by: bob | 12 Jul 2008 05:11:34
He's been a good servant of the club - so if he want's to go I say let him. It's not like we're short of midfield players is it?
Posted by: ADB | 12 Jul 2008 04:37:39
Sell Fat Frank?
Duh, yeah!
Don't keep anybody who is unhappy.
Posted by: Robert Postuma | 11 Jul 2008 22:45:52
Frank has been a fantastic servant for Chelsea and we would not have won the Premier League back to back without him. Personally I would give him whatever he asks for, I believe he is the driving force of our team, and, with JT the inspirational leadership that pulls the team together and turns them into winners. Season Ticket holder and lifelong fan.
Posted by: Tim | 11 Jul 2008 16:09:51
I think that Lamps is being a bit unreasonable in asking for 5 years. he will be 35, a time when the legs start to slow down and the fitness to play a whole match starts to become elusive. This would take away from Lampard one of his most potent attributes which is his ability to get from box-to-box throughout a game. Lampard is still a class player, worthy of 130000pw and Chelsea would definitely find it hard his 20 goals a season from midfield, his drive and his commitment to Chelsea so I really hope that he has a miraculous change of heart and accepts the contract which Chelsea is offring because it is reasonable. What I still dont understand tho is why he was hounded so badly at West Ham when it was obvious he was class?
Posted by: TRistan | 11 Jul 2008 15:42:05
The ONLY real reason Chelsea will not sell Frank - lets face it - is because the person who really wants him is José!!Such pettiness, Mr A.! After all he can go to Inter next year - so why are you behaving so childessly. Ridiculous, really.!!! Miguel de Mattos
Posted by: Miguel de Mattos, Lisbon Portugal | 11 Jul 2008 14:58:14
I will not like my main man in d midfield 2 ex chelsea. I am a fan of chelsea b'cos of him. He is the strong bone of d blues. I love his parttern of playing. I may quit d blues if Lampard leave,likewise others in Nigeria. UP BLUES ONE LOVE
Posted by: Kunle Oyadeyi | 11 Jul 2008 14:11:00
Well without Makelele and Essien doing the donkey work for him, he will soon be exposed for the average player he is.
Posted by: Tony | 11 Jul 2008 11:53:42
Chelsea would be silly to try to sell Lampard, even sillier to improve on what they have already offered. Silliest of all is Lampard
giving more than a moments thought to the prospect of going to Italy at this time in his playing career.
Only the prospect of playing for Jose again could make this idea attractive. This is not enough, and his own common sense should tell him that such a move, with all the adjustments, would probably end in failure. It should also tell him that the offer the club has made is very fair. He has won more medals with Chelsea than he could have imagined when he joined ,and there are probably more to come judging by
the new mans buying plans. His last few seasons are likely to be fruitful if he continues at a club where he knows his team mates and playing in a league with which he is familiar. Seems too obvious to requre thinking about to me.
Posted by: les | 11 Jul 2008 09:45:37
...no doubt about that...chelsea should sell him, club can't force him staying and maybe after so many successful years they should give him the chance of this new challange. As Capello said this could help in his final develop of his tactical skills...
Posted by: Matei Cachenko | 11 Jul 2008 09:17:34
I say hold him to his contract, then let him walk away next year if that is what he wants.
But he should honour his contract if Chelsea don't want to let him go now.
Posted by: clivex | 11 Jul 2008 08:20:54
I don't know what Lampard's thinking. He's thirty years old, his time as a professional player are running out and he wants a five year deal? I think the four year deal Chelsea are offering him is generous enough as it is. I'd be hesitant to give him three, much less five. That said, I don't think he has any intention of staying at Chelsea and is merely posturing for a reunion with Jose Mourinho.
Posted by: Matt | 10 Jul 2008 22:35:52
No wonder they hesitate to sell. Lampard would thrive immensly from playing behind a striker like Ibra. Injured and playing very little for Sweden in the European Championship, Ibra still scored twice, but more important, he is strong and grabbs the attention of the defenders. And there you go, big Ibra feeding Fat Frank and the, (so sorry to say, I used to love them, but now souless CFC), might encounter a team even stronger than MUFC in the CL. They are to scared to sell...
Posted by: David | 10 Jul 2008 22:25:53
let greedy frank go. One minute he says he loves the club and dosen't want to play for anyone else and then he turns down 130 grand a week. A good player yes, but a greedy money grabbing liar. As a season ticket holder i for one won't be sorry to see him go and look forward to seeing more of ballack, essien, mikel and deco next season.
Posted by: john wigmore | 10 Jul 2008 21:40:36