Frank Lampard to Inter Milan?

Filed in archive Transfer rumours on May 20, 2008

It is reported in The Times this morning that Frank Lampard will leave Chelsea for Inter Milan after Wednesday evening's Champions League final in Moscow.

After an injury hit season when he lost the managerial genius that he believed Jose Mourinho to possess, Frank Lampard can still look back on another relatively successful season. He has reached double figures for goals and has played his part in taking the side to second place in the Premiership and to the Champions League final.

On the personal front he tragically lost his mother a few weeks ago, which like anyone from a close knit family, will have a deep and marked effect on his life.

Lampard has had several opportunities to play abroad before but has always chosen to stay in England. Now, at the age of twenty-nine, he may just take on the challenge.

Who could blame Lampard if he did leave English football? He has played over five hundred and fifty games in England, scoring nearly one hundred and fifty goals. He has sixty England caps and fourteen international goals. He has been runner-up in both European and World player of the year awards and has been named the Football Writers player of the year and the England supporters player of the year.

He has always conducted himself with dignity both on and off the pitch. Despite all of this, Lampard has been constantly ridiculed for being too fat, overrated, unable to play with Steve Gerrard and anything else you care to mention or throw at him. He has been booed by England fans when he has come on as a substitute and he is constantly criticised in the press.

He has been accused of disloyalty in the past, but his seven year stay at West Ham and similar length of time at Chelsea seem to question that allegation.

Frank Lampard has been a great player for Chelsea and for England and in these times of media intrusion and bad behaviour, he has been, on the whole, an excellent role model.

I wouldn't blame him for going to Italy and I wish him all the luck in the world.