Monday, 3rd December, 2012
Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez has admitted he does not know whether club stalwarts Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard will be at Stamford Bridge next season.
Both Cole and Lampard see their current contracts with the Blues expire next summer and so far neither has put pen to paper on an extension.
Benitez had indicated that he thought the pair were leaving Chelsea in the summer, but now the Spaniard has backtracked on that, insisting he does not know what the future holds for Cole and Lampard.
"When I was asked the other day, maybe it was a misunderstanding or maybe my English was not good enough, but the situation I know is that they are finishing their contracts [in the summer]. Past that, I do not know", Benitez told Chelsea’s official site.
"I know that Frank is happy here and he is a player that is part of the leadership, he is one of the important players, but I do not know about his future", he continued.
"So I cannot say yes or no, he will stay or he will leave, in January or even at the end of the season. At this moment, I do not know."
And Benitez said he has only been asked by the club’s board about potential new arrivals and not departures.
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"We didn’t talk about any players going.
"The board were asking me about players coming but not about any players leaving."
Benitez has endured a difficult start to life at Chelsea and may well be looking forward to the opportunity to strengthen his team in next month’s transfer window.
Chelsea lost 3-1 away at West Ham on Saturday and have slipped to ten points behind Premier League leaders Manchester United; they face a make-or-break Champions League matchday this week.
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