Frank Lampard set to leave Chelsea – no room for sentiment at Stamford Bridge

By The Gaffer on January 3, 2013

Frank Lampard, a name synonymous with Chelsea Football Club, is set to leave at the end of the season according to his agent.

“As for the future, the only certainty is that he will change team at the end of the season”. The speculation was rife that Lampard, 34, would not sign a new contract with the club, and that now looks certain.

His agent continued: “Frank wants to play for a great side, capable of challenging for important targets and where he could win more trophies.

“We won’t rule anything out. The only thing that counts is that the player is happy and can continue playing at a high level.

“A champion of Lampard’s calibre deserves the biggest stage. Serie A? Why not?”

Update: False quotes now, apparently, corrected on ESPN

Possible, though, is a big-money move to the MLS.

One can speculate as to where the free-scoring midfielder may end up, but one thing is definite: he can still offer plenty to the right team. It seems that ‘right team’ is no longer Chelsea. With managerial departures and instability at the club, there seems to be a concerted effort to revamp the squad. With Lampard into the last six months of his contract, the proverbial executioner at Chelsea is a certain Rafa Benitez. This situation makes for a smoother break for the two parties; Benitez is merely a puppet in the Stamford Bridge pantomime

The Football Ramble penned an excellent article on why Chelsea must look to the future.