Frank Lampard Signs New Five Year Deal

[EskWeston 696]

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce today (Wednesday, August 13) that Frank Lampard has signed a new five year contract. The new deal will keep Lampard at the club until the end of the 2013-14 season.

Lampard said: 'I want to finish my career at Chelsea. It is something I've said many times and after signing this contract I am very happy and positive I will finish as a player here. I want to be a big part of the next five years and hopefully more for Chelsea.

'It has taken a while to get the deal done and there has been a bit of compromise on both sides but I am delighted we have managed to get there.

'The Chelsea fans have been great to me and I want to repay them for their support. I am very confident that I can maintain a very high level of performance for the next five years. I am really looking forward to the new season under the new manager and with our new players and the current squad there is a great feeling we can build on the successes of the last few years.'

Luiz Felipe Scolari said: 'I am delighted that Frank has committed his future to the club. He is a key player for me and vital to Chelsea's future successes. Frank is one of the best professionals I have worked with. Every day he tries to learn something and bring new elements to his game.'

Lampard signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2001, and is the latest player to commit his long term future to Chelsea this summer after Petr Cech, Michael Essien and Wayne Bridge all put pen to paper on new contracts.

Chelsea Chief Executive Peter Kenyon said: 'It is great news for Chelsea that Frank has signed for the next five years. He is a key member of our team and has been instrumental along with others in our success in the last five years.

'His record of appearances and goals is unparalleled for a midfielder. Being a top English player as well is important to us. We have a significant English element to our squad and that is a central part of our philosophy for the club.

'We are very confident Frank can stay at the top level for the next 5 years. It's taken us a bit of time to get an agreement so this is a real boost going into the new season and with Felipe coming in there is a really positive atmosphere surrounding the club.'

The midfielder has scored 110 goals in 369 appearances at the club, including 71 in 247 league games.

At present, Lampard is Chelsea's seventh top scorer of all time, the only midfielder in the top ten, and also the only player in his position to have scored four goals in a match for the Blues, a feat he achieved in March at home to Derby County.

Source: Chelsea FC

[Kez 2,727]

Good to see he's finally signed I just hope he can play for the full 5 years.

And he will be here for over 10 years, truely a Chelsea legend

[Gianfranco_Z 202]

Hurray

[EskWeston 696]

Frank is without doubt one of our key players so to know that he will be here beyond next season is excellant news indeed. It took a VERY long time to get sorted out but it finally has been and this can be put to bed now.

The club have done very well indeed to get our key players on new contracts in a summer where there was a prediction of a mass exodus.

[terry26 6]

[chrismada9 1,948]

Four words...

THANK GOD FOR THAT!!!!

[pablo814 1]

This is good. I say we keep him till he can't play anymore...

[misschief 24]

I say now that he's on a five year deal, we cash in and sell him to Inter next year.

[warnie_666 1,081]

FAT FRANK said that there was a compromise from both sides. SO I am assuming that he is getting paid 130000 ounds per week for 5 years.

[diskoviolente 425]

thank jesus fucking christ for that

it is so poor that he just wants to proove the clubs loyalty to the players

i think he knew he would gonna stay at the Bridge

but i am happy wiv that

[BlueLion. 21,491]

FAT FRANK said that there was a compromise from both sides. SO I am assuming that he is getting paid 130000 ounds per week for 5 years.

That seems quite likely - I imagine the board offered him a 4 year deal with better wages than he wanted, but I think the fact he wanted a five year deal means he is happy to play out his contract with us, which is really good news.

[Akemisu 0]

Thank god, my shit day just got a little bit better.

[Guest Lampards Bitch]

Excellante!!! Got a phone call from one of the other managers today at 5pm to say turn over one of the TVs to Sky Sports News................well i think i scared a few customers because I was shouting with joy lol

Watched the interview with Frank and Peter Kenyon on Chelsea TV and Frank looked genuinly happy.

[True_Blue 469]

FAT FRANK said that there was a compromise from both sides. SO I am assuming that he is getting paid 130000 ounds per week for 5 years.

Only Scousers call Lampard FAT FRANK :thumbsdown:

And he is on a 125k a week contract

[Bandicoot 3]

Im just glad that this is at an end now.

[warnie_666 1,081]

Only Scousers call Lampard FAT FRANK :thumbsdown:

And he is on a 125k a week contract

Everyone calls him Fat Frank not just Scousers.

And who told you about 125K? Gaurdian reports that he is on 140000 per week and in 5th year will have a slight paycut on his pay stub.

[EskWeston 696]

Different wages touted on different papers. If Frank is being honest when he says there was give and take on both sides then we have to assume that he took 5 years on a lower wage than he was initially being offered! The Sun have gone the most overboard it seems (no suprise there) claiming 5 years at £151k per week.

It was a good interview in the end, we won't ever know what really happened, Frank admitted he toyed with the idea of going to Inter which i don't think anyone is suprised about. But we can be happy he has stayed with us thats for sure.

[Fulham Broadway 15,859]

Good that hes signed - most people think PL players are overpaid, but the clubs showing a bit of generosity to other staff would go some way for public relations. A mates niece in the megastore -selling Lampard shirts amongst other stuff -£3.80 an hour.

[terry26 6]

LAMPARD - DEVOTED TO BLUES

Frank Lampard's future will see the midfielder become an even greater Chelsea legend and a trend setter in modern football.

By the time the new contract is up, Lampard will have spent 12 years with the club, an immense achievement for any player, let alone one who didn't join Chelsea until 2001.

This is a feat only succumbed in the modern game by the likes of Ryan Giggs, who has been with Manchester United since the beginning of his career and will soon start his 19th season with the club.

But Lampard's dedication to Chelsea, our fans and football in general is unquestionable, and the midfielder now sees his role at the club, regardless of his consistent improvements in the game, as off the field as much as on.

'I go into every year to improve as a player and I feel as fit as I have ever felt, I train as hard as I have ever trained and that is one of the things I pride myself on,' said Lampard.

'I have just turned 30 and the last year of this contract takes me to 34, and if you look around and see the professionals playing like Ryan Giggs, they are offering a lot to their clubs, on and off the pitch, and their personalities help with the players around them.

'I certainly feel I can do that in the same way.'

As the number 8 mentions his teammates and the role he can provide to the youngsters moving up, he talks about how his fellow Blues were one of the reasons why he decided to stay at Chelsea.

After his mother died unexpectedly last April, the Chelsea squad's support for their vice-captain shone through on several occassions, and this is something the midfielder will never forget.

One moment that stands in particular was during the game against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, when, after Michael Ballack's goal, the team held up a Chelsea shirt in memory of Pat Lampard.

'The Manchester United game and what they did there was a very emotional moment,' explained Lampard.

'John [Terry] as a captain creates such a spirit and the other lads follow because they are such great lads.

'And when you go to your mum's funeral, you don't expect every single player to go there; you may expect a representative from the club.

'I had every single player there and that's something that goes beyond football and shows you what real men are and what real friendships are.'

With his loyalty to the club now cemented in history, Lampard was sure to let the fans know that regardless of this summer's decision, Chelsea would always be a massive part of his life.

'I have had seven years here and the club will always be very close to my heart, and regardless of what would have happened with me this summer, the club would have been the biggest thing in my football history.

'As an old man I would be back here, sitting and watching the football, and at the end of this contract I just want to have the great memories of a club that has treated me very well.

'And that has grown and grown with the recent stuff that has happened, the letters of support from Chelsea fans have been overwhelming, and to be honest from football fans in general.

'You realise when people feel so much for you, and when they support you through such a difficult time in your life you do feel like you should repay them, and I will try to do that every time I come out on the pitch.'

With the reasons for staying out of the way, it was time for Lampard to look ahead to next season, and the vice-captain feels this year's Chelsea squad is the strongest it has ever been.

'I want to be winning things. I have always been lucky in the last five years because I have been with very good players and a great squad, and I think we are as strong as we have ever been and morale is as high as it has ever been.

'There is a real strong mentality in the lads this year, we are at a strong age and everyone is still hungry in the game.

'Last year we nearly won three titles, so this year I think we can win and continue to win in the coming years.'

i am happy with this but it was far too over the top

no offence to lamps but none of the other players got a coverred up "WORLD EXCLUSIVE" story when they signed their contract extensions

and FB that's just criminal if you ask me

[Stamford 3]

Out of all the summer signings throughout the Prem, this one is by far the best. Utd can sign stroppy Berbatoss and Liverfool can have thier yiddo reject. But I am so glad to see classy, reliable and consumate professional Frank sign this deal.