It has been a particularly good week for Chelsea and their fans.
On Saturday the Blues secured their place in the UEFA Champions League for next season, when they came from behind to win at Aston Villa 2-1. Then on Wednesday night, they won the UEFA Europa League, as a stoppage time Branislav Ivanovic header was enough to see off Portuguese giants Benfica in the Amsterdam Arena.
If that wasn’t enough for the Stamford Bridge faithful, they can now celebrate more good news after Lampard confirmed he has signed a new contract. The 34-year-old, who broke the all-time goalscoring record for the club with a brace at Villa Park which takes his tally to 203, will now remain in the capital until the end of next season.
“I’m absolutely delighted,” Lampard said in a statement on the official Chelsea website. “Everybody knows I always maintained the dream was to stay at Chelsea. We’ve been talking for ages and even though it went on for quite a period it was always amicable.
“I want to thank Mr Abramovich for everything he’s done in making the dream a reality. I love this club, the staff, the players and especially the supporters, who have treated me fantastically since the day I arrived. The thought of helping the club to more success in the forthcoming years is all I ever wanted. I couldn’t be happier.”
Lampard joined Chelsea in an £11million move from West Ham United in the summer of 2001, and as well as being their all-time top goalscorer, only Ron Harris and Peter Bonetti have made more appearances for the club. This season, the midfielder has featured 50 times, scoring 17 goals. He remains a key member of Roy Hodgson’s England squad, and he will hope to reach the 100-cap mark next term.
