Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By TATE STEINLAGE
After 13 years and 648 appearances in Chelsea blue, Frank Lampard will see his future in a new kit.
The 35-year-old midfielder confirmed through his agent that he will be leaving Stamford Bridge this summer for unknown pastures. Recent reports have stated that Lampard’s next destination could be New York City FC where he’d team up with David Villa, who signed as the club’s first player on Monday.
Lampard released a lengthy statement to SkySports in which he closed by saying, “I feel honored to have shared so many special times with you. Bolton, Amsterdam, Munich, the list goes on and on. I, and we as a team, could not have achieved those moments without your support.
“Whatever the next challenge is for me I will always be amongst you and have Chelsea in my home and in my heart. Hopefully I will get to see you all soon to say goodbye properly. In the meantime thank you for the memories and keep making history!”
Lampard is currently with the England National Team in their pre-World Cup training camp in Miami, Fla. and will compete, likely off the bench, with the Three Lions in Brazil.
Here are more news items from a busy Monday in the soccer world:
IMMOBILE CLOSES TRANSFER MOVE TO DORTMUND
The Bundesliga has attracted yet another young talent by way of league runner up, Borussia Dortmund.
The German side announced Monday the signing of Italian striker Ciro Immobile. The 24-year-old joins Dortmund on a five-year deal that will last through 2019.
“Borussia Dortmund are a huge club and the idea of replacing [Robert] Lewandowski really appeals to me,” Immobile said at Monday’s press conference. “I’ve spoken to Caldirola and Donati and they’ve told me that the Bundesliga’s a fantastic league – one of the best in the world.”
Immobile led Serie A in scoring this past season with 22 goals in 33 league appearances for Torino FC. The club’s UEFA Europa League qualification last season was widely attributed to the success of Immobile.
“We’re getting a flexible and dynamic striker who established himself in one of Europe’s top leagues in impressive fashion,” Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said in a statement. “His outstanding qualities fit perfectly with the profile required by Borussia Dortmund.”
Before joining Dortmund in training, Immobile will have a busy summer with Italy at the World Cup. Immobile was included in Cesare Prandelli’s 23-man squad after breaking through with the Italians earlier this year, earning his first international cap in a March 1-0 defeat against Spain.
UEFA WON’T BACK BLATTER’S POTENTIAL RE-ELECTION
The BBC has learned that UEFA will not support current FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter if he announces his attempt for re-election at the 64th FIFA Congress in June.
If an official announcement is made at the Congress, UEFA does not want its members “to take part in any standing ovation,” according to a BBC article.
Blatter is currently in his fourth term as FIFA President and is the middle of several allegations of corruption involving Qatar, including notions that the country bought the 2022 World Cup through various bribes.
In 2011, Blatter announced that his fourth term would be his last, but recently, the 78-year-old has hinted that he will likely stand for a fifth term at the upcoming Congress.
The 64th FIFA Congress will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil on June 10th and 11th.
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Will Lampard make a move to MLS and NYCFC? Has Dortmund struck gold with Immobile? And what do you make of UEFA’s comments on Blatter’s possible announcement of re-election?
Share your thoughts below.
Stop abusing LAMP.he a good player.how many MLS players are as good as Lampard?Well as for Rossi….very sorry for him
Frank to the Chicago Fire!!! You watch. If you wish it, he will come.
In other news, Rossi left off the Italy roster. Let the comments begin.
He made his bed. What more can we say?
This. I can’t wait when there are at least 6 DP slots….like when I turn 100 years old. With that new TV deal tho, MLS should up their game just a little bit..
MLS will make huge strides if they raise the DP limit to 4 after the World Cup
I’d prefer them to raise the league minimum and the salary cap
Agreed looking forward to the changes with the new CBA
I don’t think Lampard should be a DP in MLS,maybe give him bonuses and fancy house with the contract but no DP. I don’t think he would go to a mid table team or mid table team in another European team and if he comes to MLS, he should get paid good but not DP money at his age but is he worth the DP money then it’s up to the team getting him.
But I repeat again, I feel bad for MLS teams whose owner doesn’t open his wallet for real dps, stadium renovations or new stadium, academy and uslpro team.
If Lampard, kaka come after the villa move, them who wouldn’t come to MLS in their early 30s, besides the mysterious dps in their 20s.
Ronaldinho, kaka, drogba are officially on the MLS transfer clock 🙂
Huh?
Too funny
Villa? Yes!
Lampard? Not a fan….
Same here, If he does come it needs to be a one year deal no DP money. MLS needs to have standards if they don’t want to be known as a retirement league.
Yeah, that Lampard is a class act. NYCFC have no clue if they bring that trash to New York, let alone MLS: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1341356/Chelsea-four-fined-for-drunken-abuse.html
Yeah, we don’t want him. New Yorkers would throw batteries at him.
They got drunk and what is your point? Do you not want anyone in the MLS that has gotten drunk in the past? They were not abusing anyone. That article is garbage.
If you read the article, yes, they were verbally abusing American tourists while laughing at the carnage of “weeping firefighters searching for dead bodies”.
That the fines collected went to an American charity for 9/11 relief should tell you something.
That is not what the article says. It pretty much says that they were laughing and having a good time while Americans were at the bar grieving over what was happening.
The fines were for being drunk in general, not anything geared towards Americans.
No that’s not what happened
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/john-terry-seeks-england-return-in-endofseason-friendlies-in-hope-of-ending-international-career-with-2014-world-cup-finals-8590729.html?action=gallery&ino=2
I dont really care what this guy said while he was heavily intoxicated, he is still good enough to play at a high level. And any good players are help to MLS, besides, from the rumors, he wont even take up a DP contract
Go visit the 9/11 Memorial and see if you say the same thing. The fact that anyone would laugh at that…
Like I said he was pretty damn drunk, I dont know a single soul who hasnt said something stupid, offensive, or out of line while being drunk.
It doesn’t say he did anything other than be in Party mode in a Hotel Bar full of Americans grounded by 9/11.
Did anyone not go out while the Japanese tsunami or the Malaysian Flight was missing?
I was in Italy the day of the Oklahoma City bombing. I would not have taken offense to a drunken Italian making a fool out of himself that day. When disasters occur in the USA I do not expect sobriety from the rest of the world.
At least, it is not John Terry!
Kind of chuckled that Immobile is a “flexible and dynamic” striker. Sorry, too easy.
+1
It throws me off every time I read his name.
It’s a lot better than Ji Don Wong from Sunderland via Augsburg
Wow! This would be huge for NYCFC to get both Villa and Lampard as DP’s. Wonder who they’ll get as their 3rd?
Drogba
No wrong Messi is next
I think they would go for a defensive minded midfielder. not sure who tho
Maybe Toure’s agent will be in touch with NYCFC regarding their birthday policies and whether they differ from the parent club’s.
HA!
haha nice one bro. I’d bake him a cake if he came here.
It prob won’t happen, but id love to see xabi alonso or de rossi or cambiasso. Xabi alonso would be a huge statement for them.
Emile Heskey