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London: Frank Lampard will leave Chelsea this summer after the club’s executives confirmed to his agent that they would not be offering the 34 year-old a new contract under any circumstances.
Chelsea informed Lampard’s agent, Steve Kutner, after the club’s 2-1 Premier League win at Everton that there was no possibility of the midfielder staying at Stamford Bridge beyond the end of this season.
Lampard originally learned of Chelsea’s decision at last month’s Club World Cup in Japan. He could be in no doubt of owner Roman Abramovich’s determination to let him go as the club reiterated their position last week, after a game in which he had scored two match-winning goals.
His representatives at Steve Kutner Management said on Sunday night that Chelsea had made it clear there was no way back. “Frank has had to accept that and just wants to carry on playing football for Chelsea, so as to finish the season as successfully as possible for the club he loves,” they said.
Despite suggestions of recent dialogue between Lampard and the club, it is understood that these discussions were designed purely to appraise him of Chelsea’s stance rather than to offer him any hope of a new deal.
Abramovich has endured a fierce backlash from Chelsea supporters over both his treatment of Lampard and his appointment of Rafael Benitez as interim manager.
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