Lampard, Cole being lured from Chelsea

Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole have recently been linked with moves to LA Galaxy and Real Madrid, respectively.

As two of Chelsea’s most veteran players, Lampard and Cole have faced their share of transfer rumors. The importance of the two Englishmen to Chelsea over the years has earned them their salary and tenure, and any speculation in the past surrounding their departure was always squashed as their contracts were renewed.

As their roles on the team continue to become less prominent, however, the likelihood of Chelsea partaking in bidding wars for them becomes less likely. While Lampard is reportedly still on Chelsea’s radar for a player-coach offer, Cole has lately been diminished to the role of spectator, and the rumors involving him deserve credence.

Since their massive David Beckham signing, LA Galaxy have been on the hunt for another marketable veteran from a top league, and Lampard has been on their short list since last spring.

A report in The Sun claims Lampard might accept an offer of 4 million-per-year from Galaxy when his contract expires in the summer.

The 35-year-old opted to decline an initial switch to LA following Chelsea’s move to bring back manager Jose Mourinho, a decision that kept the midfielder in a major title race but cost him some playing time. Mourinho confirmed in December that Lampard was “not feeling important to the team”, but that has seemingly changed recently with persistent rumours that Lampard – along with John Terry – will be offered a player-coach deal by the Blues in the summer.

LA Galaxy could provide an attractive and persuasive counter-offer, but such an offer would hinge on their decision regarding the future of the popular Landon Donovan.

MLS teams may roster a maximum of three ‘designated players’ who can earn above the league’s salary cap. Donovan is currently one of Galaxy’s three, along with former Spurs striker Robbie Keane, and Omar Gonzalez. To open a spot for Lampard, Donovan would likely have to be sold, which is far from being a certainty.

Meanwhile, reports on Monday emerged that Real Madrid are planning a two-year contract offer in the summer for Ashley Cole.

Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has stated his desire to add both a skilled veteran and a rising star to his team’s defence, and Cole has emerged as a favorite to be signed as the former.

Cole served as a star on Ancelotti’s double-winning 2010 Chelsea side, and Ancelotti has made open his desire to work with the English defender again. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has green-lighted a move when Cole’s Chelsea contract expires this summer.

Sunday People Sport report that the deal would include a third-year option if Cole makes a certain number of appearances in the 2015-16 season.

Jose Mourinho maintains that Chelsea will offer the 33-year-old a one-year contract renewal this summer, and while Mourinho is apparently confident that Cole will accept, the defender’s lack of playing time and diminishing role on the team work against this hope.

Should Chelsea lose both Cole and Lampard this summer, they would be losing two of their longest-tenured players. With the future of John Terry also hinging on a summer offer and with Petr Cech’s starting role likely to be challenged by Thibaut Cortois’ imminent incursion, the four remaining legends of Jose Mourinho’s first Chelsea dynasty may now be seeing the last of their time as prominent players on the team.

Hopefully, this isn’t the case. But if it is, then Mourinho certainly doesn’t lack the pieces necessary to forge a new dynasty, one that could emulate the first’s model of success and longevity.

2 Comments

  1. Calls it soccer? Why am I reading a word this guys ever wrote on the subject? He doesn’t even know what the games called.

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