Chelsea angry as reports link Frank to
Inter
Chelsea's preparations for the Champions League Final
were thrown into chaos on Monday night by claims that Frank Lampard
has agreed a four-year deal with Inter Milan. Both Chelsea and
Lampard's representatives denied the story was true, with one
Stamford Bridge official dismissing it as "fantasy".
But newspapers in Italy insist they have received unofficial
confirmation from Inter owner Massimo Moratti, the suggestion being
that Lampard will arrive once former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho
has been confirmed as their new coach.
A well-placed insider claimed a deal has been agreed directly
between Moratti and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and that Lampard
will join for £8million, with a salary of £6m a season.
Inter have just secured the Serie A title for the third year in
a row under Roberto Mancini but Mourinho seems to be in the
background. Chelsea officials reacted with incredulity when they
touched down in Russia on Monday night. Peter Kenyon, the Stamford
Bridge chief executive, denied there was any truth in the reports,
as did other directors.
Lampard's agent Steve Kutner insisted his client's focus did not
extend beyond Wednesday evening's Champions League Final against
Manchester United. He also questioned how Lampard would have found
the time to conduct such negotiations when he has had to deal with
the loss of his mother, Pat.
"There is no substance to these claims," Kutner told Sportsmail.
"It's simply not true. I have an excellent relationship with Inter
Milan, and indeed Massimo Moratti, after taking Paul Ince there.
But I have had no conversations with them about this and I can't
understand where this is coming from.
"After Frank has played in the final and then returned from
England duty, he will go away with his family. And after that we
will have a discussion about football and I will then go and talk
to Peter Kenyon about football."
