Chelsea Reject Inter Approach For Frank

[EskWeston 696]

This speculation is getting incredibly silly now! Lampard obviously told Scolari that he wanted to stay (providing a contract can be agreed), Scolari wants Lampard to stay. Now if as is being reported Lampard is after 5 more years on a contract then in my opinion he is trying to force a way out without trying to look like a bad guy. He must surely know that there is no way that at 30 the club will give him a 5 year contract.

This one isn't going to go away any time soon.....

[chrismada9 1,948]

I still think Lampard's goin to leave

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Lampard, from 2004/05 through 2005/06, was easily the most consistent and arguably the best all-round midfield player in the world. Whilst in the past two years his confidence and skill has slightly declined - due to injuries throughout the previous two campaigns - he is the only midfield player who can score 20 goals a season without fail and easily contribute a further dozen with his passing and intelligence on the ball. Lampard still has three or four years to give at the top level. Whilst I believe Frank is past his peak, he is still one of the most consistent and reliable players in European football and it would be beneficial of Chelsea Football Club to keep him at Stamford Bridge. On the other hand, in Deco we have signed another player proven in the central midfield position, who can contribute with a handful of goals and excellent dribbling ability to the squad. Whilst he doesn't have the goalscoring instinct of Lampard, Deco has an intelligence on the ball I think very few players have, and he is capable of creating plenty of goalscoring opportunities for someone like Shevchenko or Drogba. If Lampard goes - he will be missed. 20 goals per season through the last four campaigns is something not easily replaced, but in the likes of Michael Ballack, Michael Essien and Deco, we have quality players who can fill the void. If Lampard is in demand so much that Inter are willing to offer bids in excess of, say, £10-12 million, then it would be well-worth cashing in. With every year that passes Frank's value will decline by a good two or three million due to his age. If it is in the interest of the player to go to Inter, then he should leave, and leave with the respect of Chelsea fans and go down in folklore as one of our greatest-ever players. As much as I want to keep Lampard at the club until he retires, if Lampard wants to go and the money offered is suitable, then the player should leave.

[Kez 2,727]

Well said BL i agree with that totally

[EskWeston 696]

Well Kenyon has made everything perfectly clear today. There is an offer on the table for Frank to sign (we don't know the details of that though), if Frank doesn't want to sign it for whatever reason he will see out the remainder of his contract while we hope he will sign that contract...

[BlueLion. 21,491]

There is every possibility that either party makes a comprimise and Frank signs next season. But if he decides to play out his contract, then all respect to him.

[EskWeston 696]

There is every possibility that either party makes a comprimise and Frank signs next season. But if he decides to play out his contract, then all respect to him.

As i have said in the other thread, it seems clear that Frank will run his contract down. Jose's comments about Frank definately joining him next season seem to indicate that Frank may have decided this some while ago...

I am not sure that anything other than a stupidly big contract offer will make him change his mind.

[zinctek 402]

what gets me is the radio has just said frank lampard is staying at Chelsea for another year to see his contract out weather he likes it or not?

i dont understand that because every contract that a footballer has will have a buy out fee on there last year. so if lampard is so pissed off that Chelsea wont let him leave as the radio/papers are saying o and agent is saying then why not just let inter pay his buy out fee?

[pippin 0]

i suspect what is happening is that frank wants to stay but club wants to cash in on him and make a few quid. the question is why buy decco if you have lampard and ballack.

[zinctek 402]

the club doesnt want to cash in on him thats the thing. if he does play out his contract for this year then he is a free man next year to go to any club totally free!

but you are right in saying why buy deco when we have frank, ballack, essien, maka, mikel, joe cole, SWP, Kaluo who can all play in his roll!

Edited July 9, 2008 by zinctek

[pippin 0]

well the best laid plans never ran smooth. the fact is if they are not going to agree terms he will be sold and if they really wanted to keep frank then the deal would be better they know he wants to stay but if they want to sell they why not offer him something crap then force his hand. the club would nt want to let him walk for free so i think they are trying to cash in on an asset

[zinctek 402]

So you are saying they are going to sell him this month?

[EskWeston 696]

I think it is pretty obvious why we signed Deco. Because he is exactly the type of player we have been craving for a long long while now - no matter who we have in our team. Chelsea and Kenyon have said that Frank will be 100% here this season - he can sign an extention - it is there for him, but he will not be sold this summer. It is too late now i believe for him to buy out the remainder of his contract...

[misschief 24]

well the best laid plans never ran smooth. the fact is if they are not going to agree terms he will be sold and if they really wanted to keep frank then the deal would be better they know he wants to stay but if they want to sell they why not offer him something crap then force his hand. the club would nt want to let him walk for free so i think they are trying to cash in on an asset

A four year deal worth £140,000 a year is hardly a crap deal. It works both ways, if Frank really wanted to stay, firstly he would have signed two years ago instead of letting it drag on and secondly he'd see the deal for what it is - a bloody good one for any player his age. Ronaldo hasn't even got a deal as good as that and he's undoubtedly the best player in the country if not the world right now. Lampard needs to be realistic.

[EskWeston 696]

I am convinced that Lampard had decided a while ago now that he wanted to move to Inter with Jose. There is no way that a 30 year old players who really wants to stay at their club would turn down the sort of contract we are offering - he knows that there is no way we will offer 5 years to him now - and lets be real not many clubs would either..

It is a real shame it has come down like this but i am glad the club have put their stance down in black and white - there is a contract if you want it Frank! You get the sense that maybe Frank wants to leave without making himself look bad. His mate at the Sun McGarry hasn't helped things with some of the stories he has written.....

It would be good to hear what Frank has to say now!

[misschief 24]

Well the last time we heard from him, it was the usual 'I love Chelsea and want to stay", when actually he probably knew then that it'd come to this. I'd love to see what he'd do if they called his bluff and offered him the 5 years anyway, lol.

I agree with you Esk, good on Chelsea for sticking to their guns - its a bloody good deal and reflects his worth to the club without encouraging other players to try their luck at a bit of contractual blackmail. And Frank should definitely come out and be 'honest' with us all now because this is in danger of becoming bitter and he'd have only himself to blame.

[.Cee 50]

I think he's making these demands so he doesn't look like the bad guy if forced to go out because his demands aren't met. Demands that are kind of ridiculous, btw. I mean a 1 year shorter contract shouldn't really matter if he truly 'loves' Chelsea.

People are complaining about DD bitching to the media about not wanting to stay. At least he's honest with feelings and isn't leading us fans on. Not that I'm saying it's okay for DD, tho', just feels Lamps is worse.

A four year deal worth £140,000 a year is hardly a crap deal. It works both ways, if Frank really wanted to stay, firstly he would have signed two years ago instead of letting it drag on and secondly he'd see the deal for what it is - a bloody good one for any player his age. Ronaldo hasn't even got a deal as good as that and he's undoubtedly the best player in the country if not the world right now. Lampard needs to be realistic.

A week you mean?

[EskWeston 696]

So Inter are today claiming that Frank WANTS to join Inter very much. Now whilst it is very hard to believe what you read in the papers, and also it is even harder to believe what comes out of these Italian clubs, i don't think it would suprise many if it was the case that Lamps wants to join Inter!

If this is the case how would people feel about Frank for next season? Would you let him go now, take a transfer fee for him and get a replacement in, or keep him for another season get another year out of him and let him go for free at the end?

I think IF Frank really wants to join Inter then we should just take their money and let him go. We have some World Class midfielders still who would be able to cope without Frank.