Rafael Benitez Under Impression Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard are Leaving Chelsea

Saturday, 24th November, 2012

Rafael Benitez has confirmed he is under the impression that veteran Chelsea duo Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard will be leaving the Blues at the end of the current campaign.

The Spaniard was appointed as Blues manager until the end of the season on Thursday, and his eventual departure may coincide with those of Cole and Lampard.

The England duo have not signed extensions to their contracts at present and, with deals running out at the end of the season, Benitez thinks a departure is certainly on the cards.

Asked about whether the pair would be leaving Stamford Bridge, Benitez was quoted as saying by the BBC: "I think so. I think that’s the case at the moment."

The former Valencia coach then suggested he is not yet in possession of all the facts and cannot be expected to set Chelsea policy for the next two or three years with regards to player contracts, given he is departing himself in the summer.

"I don’t have all the information, but it’s not fair to tell me I’m only here for seven months and then expect me to have an influence at the club over the next two or three years."

Lampard has been linked with a lucrative move to China recently, where he would follow in the footsteps of former team-mates Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, by plying his trade in the Chinese Super League.

relatedNewsStory

Cole meanwhile has been mooted as a target for former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, while another ex-Chelsea boss, Carlo Ancelotti, is thought to be keen on taking the left-back to Paris Saint-Germain.

It remains to be seen whether Benitez’ appointment will have an influence on the contract extension decisions which are taken at Stamford Bridge.

However, departures for Cole and Lampard, combined with Drogba’s exit in the summer, would further suggest the end of a very successful era at Stamford Bridge, and the passing of the torch to a new generation.