Frank Lampard admits he will be flattered if, as seems increasingly likely, Manchester City try and extend his loan stay beyond the end of the calendar year.
Despite initially stating he would find it difficult to play for another club in England after ending his long association with Chelsea, the midfielder pitched up at the Etihad Stadium in August after agreeing a temporary move to the champions. Of course, City benefited from the fact that their owners also own the club Lampard signed for on a permanent deal, New York City.
The intention was for the 36-year-old to stay in Manchester until the end of the December, after which he would head to the United States ahead of the MLS season which begins in March. However, he has had a bigger than expected impact for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, with his latest contribution coming on Sunday when he scored in the 3-0 win over Southampton on the South Coast.
Even before this win, which lifts the Blues to second in the table and closes the gap on Jose Mourinho’s side to just six points, there was widespread talk that City would extend Lampard’s stay in Manchester. And whilst the former England international insists no such talks have yet to take place, he admits he is pleased to be thought of in such glowing terms by Pellegrini and co.
“I haven’t spoke to them on that front at all, I’ve been concentrating week to week and getting fit when I was injured for a while,” the former Stamford Bridge favourite told Sky Sports when asked about his future plans. “I’m not looking that far ahead. It’s nice that they are saying that, it’s much better saying that than saying they can’t wait for me to go! We’ll see what happens about that one.”
Lampard has now made seven appearances in the league for City, who are likely to rely on him all the more in January – should he stay on – when Yaya Toure is away on international duty for Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations. It is expected that talks over his future will begin as early as the coming week, as Pellegrini looks to give the City faithful an early Christmas gift.
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