Are the latest reports in the Frank Lampard saga to be believed? Are we really going to reach a conclusion to this long-running drama with the midfielder said to be about to sign a new contract or are there more dramatic episodes to come yet?

Well, it’s recently been suggested that Chelsea were prepared to offer him a staggering £140,000 a year, with a new four year contract. A deal you’d have to think the majority of 30 year olds would have bit their hand off for. However, we were then told Lampard had turned his nose up at that, demanding £150,000 and an extra year. Don’t want much does he? According to the tabloids, with Chelsea having already slipped up over the Shevchenko deal, committing themselves to pay him a ridiculous amount and seeing no return for that long-term investment, Chelsea have learnt by their mistake. And rightly so – a five year contract for any 30 year old is extravagant, but at the cost of £150,000 per annum, it’s just obscene.

I know I’m in the minority when it comes to an opinion on the whole Lampard contract farce, and I haven’t for one minute forgotten the contribution he’s made to Chelsea during his seven year stay but I really think he’s stretching the club’s loyalty far further than his own here. It’s all very well him pointing to Makelele as an example of a player getting a contract at the age of 35 but for a start Maka was only given a one-year extension and I’d put money on him charging nowhere near what Frank wants to for his services. And whilst we’re comparing the two, Maka keeps his head down, says nothing and signs the extensions when offered. ‘Mr Chelsea’ on the other hand, pledges his undying allegiance to the club then drags his contract out to within an inch of its expiration, with the added threat of joining Mourinho if he doesn’t get what he asks – hardly an act of commitment.

Quite apart from anything else, with players like Cristiano Ronaldo around, what makes Lampard think he’s worthy of becoming the highest paid player in Premier League history?

Filed under: Current Players, Rants