FRANK LAMPARD has been given a “take it or
leave it” contract offer by Chelsea. But the package falls short of
the England midfielder’s pay demands and will only increase
specualtion over his future at the club.
Lampard is keen to stay at Chelsea but feels his
service over the past seven years means he should be the club’s
highest-paid player. Skipper John Terry currently holds that honour
on £130,000 a week with Lamps on around £100,000.
Lampard’s advisors talked with Chelsea chief executive
Peter Kenyon over the last 24 hours. But the club’s new offer came
nowhere near what they want. The Blues insist they will go no
higher and have given the £11million buy from West Ham star just a
few weeks to consider their proposal.
Lampard, 29, has only one season to run on his current
contract and Chelsea dare not risk losing him on a Bosman free next
summer. The all-action midfielder is wanted by a clutch of top
European clubs — including Italian champions Inter Milan. And he
has seriously been considering his future recently.