Frank Lampard: I thought I’d be leaving Chelsea this summer

Frank Lampard admits he thought he was set to leave Chelsea this summer before he agreed a one-year contract extension last week.

Speculation had been rife over the 34-year-old’s future beyond this season despite the England international becoming the Blues’ all-time top goal-scorer earlier in May.

“In January it looked like I might be leaving,” Lampard, who penned a new deal last Thursday, told talkSPORT.

“I’d been injured, to be fair to the club, for nearly two months. The manager changed and there wasn’t stability at the club – they were looking to the future.

“I would say that from January to March-April I thought this would be my last season at Chelsea.”

Lampard had been linked with a move to Major League Soccer in recent months and the midfielder admits that he would have found it difficult to play for any other Premier League club.

“It wouldn’t have been in the Premier League,” he continued. “I think there were a couple of opportunities but I can’t imagine playing for anyone else [in England] after 12 years at Chelsea. I’ve got a lot of respect for Premier League clubs but I’m not sure I could have done that.

Lampard added: “I feel like I can keep playing at the top for another two or three years.”