Benitez: Cole & Lampard To Leave Chelsea

Despite the transfer window being closed, there is always transfer gossip doing the rounds in the papers and we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest news during the coming months. Today, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard are set to leave Chelsea this summer.

New Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez has revealed long-serving duo Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole are set to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, according to the Daily Mail.

Both players are out of contract in the summer and have so far been unable to reach agreements over extensions. This has prompted intense speculation over their futures and Benitez has admitted it looks likely they will leave at the end of the current campaign.

Lampard has enjoyed a trophy-laden 11-years at Chelsea that has included 3 Premier League titles, 4 FA Cups and 1 Champions League trophy. The 34-year-old has scored 189 goals in 572 appearances to make him the clubs third highest ever goalscorer.

Cole made a controversial move to west London from Arsenal in 2006 and has gone on to make over 270 appearances for the club, winning 8 major trophies in the process. However, when Benitez was asked if Lampard and Cole are expected to leave in the summer, the Spaniard said:

‘I think so, that is the case at the moment.’

‘I am only here for seven months. If it is for two or three years then maybe I would have an influence.

‘Sometimes you are in a difficult position as manager because there’s too much to decide on, so it’s better to have a technical director sometimes.’

Benitez is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail

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Lampard has been recently linked with a lucrative move to China while Cole is being tracked by both Manchester United and PSG. Benitez will continue to call upon the pair for the rest of the season but their departures will be another example of the ‘old guard’ being moved on from Chelsea.

Will Chelsea fans be disappointed to see Cole and Lampard leave? Get involved in the comments section.