Chelsea sign Lampard for £11m

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Frank Lampard today joined Chelsea in an £11million deal from London neighbours West Ham. The England midfielder, 23 next week, put pen to paper on a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge on the day that his former club revealed Glenn Roeder as their new manager.

It was the departure of uncle Harry Redknapp and father Frank senior from Upton Park last month that encouraged the midfielder to look elsewhere.

Aston Villa and Leeds had also been linked with Lampard but he revealed that the chance to stay in London and compete on a European stage made his mind up for him.

"I think everyone knows how I felt. A lot happened at West Ham but I will always be grateful to them - they gave me my chance," said Lampard. "It's always been my ambition from day one to play European football.

"I think I can take my game on from here and win a lot of medals with the club.Hopefully I can test myself against the best players in Europe and we can contest for trophies.

"The chance of European football and working with a well-respected coach (Claudio Ranieri) will bring my game on."

Lampard becomes Ranieri's first English signing as the Italian coach seeks to restructure his team with home grown youth.

French defender William Gallas has already been snapped up this summer and there are more signings to follow with the club hopeful of completing a deal for Emmanuel Petit by the end of the month.

Chelsea chief executive, Colin Hutchinson, said: "We have been bringing the age down in the squad for the last year and people may think he is older because he's been around a bit but Frank is only 22."

 

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