Chelsea’s Champions League final preparations have been jolted by reports that midfielder Frank Lampard could be set to move to Inter Milan.
Frank Lampard may be set to join his former manager Mourinho at Inter Milan next season
LONDON: Chelsea’s Champions League final preparations have been jolted by reports that midfielder Frank Lampard could be set to move to Inter Milan, possible joining former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho at the San Siro next season.
Italian newspapers reported on Tuesday that transfer negotiations were at an advanced stage but that no announcement would be made before Wednesday’s Champions League final in Moscow between Chelsea and Manchester United.
“Inter after Lampard,” was the banner headline on the front page of sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport. Another paper, Corriere dello Sport, quoted Inter president Massimo Moratti as praising Lampard.
“He is very good, but it’s not easy to buy him,” Moratti was quoted as saying. “There’s talk (of him) for our market transfers, but he’s a player who’ll play the Champions League final. It will also depend on how that game goes.”
Lampard’s contract with Chelsea expires at the end of next season. Both sides have failed to reach agreement so far on a contract extension for the 29-year old England international.
Lampard’s agent, Steve Kutner, insisted no decision on the player’s future would be made until later in the summer. “The situation is that Frank has got a massive match on Wednesday, after which he needs to spend time with his family, because he has not had a real opportunity to do that since his mother died,” Kutner said.
“He needs to get away and sort out his personal life and when he has done that we will sit down and talk about his future in football,” the midfielder’s agent continued “After that, we will talk to Chelsea and that is as far as we have got. There is nothing in the pipeline and I don’t know why this has surfaced now.”
Kutner did, however, incidentally reveal his personal history of working with the Italian giants, one that might worry Chelsea. “I don’t know why Inter Milan would think this. Nobody has talked to me and the owner, Massimo Moratti, and I are good friends. I took Paul Ince there, I took Patrick Vieira there - if there was something on, I am sure I would know.”
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