Frank Lampard: I would have stayed at Chelsea

Frank Lampard has revealed that he would have been happy to stay at Chelsea for another season before his Stamford Bridge exit this summer.

The 36-year-old midfielder left the west London club after 13 years as a free agent and joined new MLS side New York City, which includes a short loan deal with Manchester City.

If Chelsea had given me a new contract it would have been mad not to take it

Frank Lampard

But the former England international says that he would have remained at Chelsea if the club had offered him a new deal.

“I would have obviously stayed if Chelsea had offered me another year,” Lampard said. “There was no reason for me to leave.

“Yes, I wanted to play a bit more regularly but I’m not stupid. If Chelsea had given me a new contract it would have been mad not to take it at the time.

“It wasn’t that I didn’t think I could still do it. If I felt like that I wouldn’t have gone to City on loan.

“I had a chat with Jose Mourinho and both he and the club were always great with me. The decision was made, and I don’t know who made it.”

Lampard made 648 appearances for the Blues, scoring a club record 211 goals.