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Lampard should be Chelsea player for good, says Mourinho
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-05 10:11
LONDON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - England midfielder Frank Lampard can expect Chelsea
to offer him a contract that would keep him with the English champions for the
rest of his career, coach Jose Mourinho said on Wednesday.
"I believe
before his contract ends Chelsea will offer him an agreement until the end of
his career," Mourinho was quoted as saying in the London Evening Standard
newspaper.
"He has the kind of deal which I doubt any other club in the world could
beat. We don't need to sell players and he loves Chelsea.
"I would not change him for anyone. His performances from the beginning to
the end in any circumstances are incomparable."
Lampard, who last month set a Premier League record of 164 consecutive
appearances, was voted second behind Barcelona's Ronaldinho in the 2005 FIFA
World Player of the Year poll.
He is Chelsea's leading scorer with 13 goals, six more
than strikers Hernan Crespo and Didier Drogba, and second only to Manchester
United's Ruud van Nistelrooy in the Premier League.
Chelsea sign Maniche on loan from Dynamo Moscow
LONDON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Chelsea signed Portugal midfielder Maniche on loan
from Dynamo Moscow on Wednesday, the English champions said.
The
28-year-old former Porto player has joined coach Jose Mourinho's Premier League
leaders until the end of the season, the English side said on their official
website.
Maniche, who won the European Cup with Porto under Mourinho in 2004, is
eligible to play for Chelsea in the Champions League because he has not played
in Europe for Dynamo.
He joined Dynamo in May 2005 for a Russian record transfer fee of 16 million
euros ($19.3 million), along with Porto team mate Costinha.
Atletico Madrid were linked last month with Maniche, who was unsettled in
Moscow.
Maniche, who also worked under Mourinho at Benfica in 2000, will increase
Chelsea's midfield options during a spell when they will be without Michael
Essien.
The Ghana international will join his country for the African Nations Cup in
Egypt later this month if he recovers from an ankle injury he sustained in
Chelsea's 3-1 win at West Ham United on Monday.
Maniche was a key member of the Portugal team that reached the final of Euro
2004 in their home country.
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