Lampard set to turn down a 'dream' move to Barcelona
Tuesday 30 May 2006
Latest in Premier League
Related articles
On Facebook
Sport blogs
iBet: Serena Williams looks hungry again
Serena Williams has looked right back to her best in recent weeks and more importantly she looks hun...
Manchester City top the ‘injury league’, with Manchester United bottom
The results of new research into every significant injury suffered by every Premier League footballe...
Stereotypical Germany? With the defence ‘forgotten’, think again
The blunt exposure of Germany's defensive problems in their last two friendlies has certainly served...
Frank Lampard looks set to pledge his future to Chelsea despite admitting it would be a dream to play in Spain.
The Premiership champions' England midfielder is on a long-term deal at Stamford Bridge and Jose Mourinho wants the former West Ham man to negotiate a new deal this summer. Lampard's partner hails from Catalunya and the 27-year-old, who has often been linked with a move to Barcelona, reportedly told the Spanish sports daily El Mundo Deportivo: "It would be a dream to come to Barça.
"But Chelsea has offered me a renewal, and I am very proud of that and it shows they have confidence in me.
"In addition the team is being reinforced and will be even more competitive and will be able to aspire to everything."
Mourinho's former club Porto, meanwhile, have denied receiving an offer from Chelsea for their winger Ricardo Quaresma. Mourinho has already signed Michael Ballack on a free transfer from Bayern Munich and looks set to complete the £34m transfer of Andriy Shevchenko from Milan in the next 48 hours.
The continuing speculation over the futures of Damien Duff and Shaun Wright-Phillips have prompted Chelsea to look for another wide man. But the Porto president, Pinto Sa Silva, has denied any contact with Chelsea about Quaresma and said it would take a huge offer to lure the Portugal Under-21 captain away.
"Officially, we have not received any proposition and it does not enter into our plans to sell this player in the summer," Sa Silva said. "I know some rumours in the press but these are not serious. If those are confirmed the club will study the subject but only a big offer, because Quaresma is a key player in our project."
Elsewhere, Barcelona's versatile defender Gabri has ended his links with the European champions after 13 years but said he has still to make a decision on his future.
The 27-year-old, who turned down the chance to join West Ham in January, has hinted at a possible move to join Frank Rijkaard's former assistant coach at Barça, Henk ten Cate, who was appointed coach of Ajax two weeks ago.
- 1 Serena struck down by brave Razzano and umpire furore
- 2 Olympians: They're fit and don't we just know it
- 3 'I'm joining Chelsea', says £40m Lille playmaker Eden Hazard
- 4 Fat? Really? Olympic hope laughs off official’s jibe – but others aren’t amused
- 5 Hodgson urges squad to attempt to 'enjoy' Euros
- 6 Swansea play down Brendan Rodgers meeting as Liverpool speculation mounts
- 7 Club-by-club guide: Players available on a free transfer this summer
- 8 Sports caption competition winners
- 9 Rodgers veers towards taking Liverpool job
- 10 United close in on Kagawa after missing out on Hazard
- 1 Brazil rocked by abortion for 9-year-old rape victim
- 2 Russian Foreign Ministry slams US Ambassador as 'unprofessional' in furious Twitter barrage
- 3 Sex in dressing rooms and Play School presenters 'stoned out of their minds' - inside BBC Television Centre
- 4 Brendan Rodgers: 'The day Jose left Chelsea, it felt like someone had died'
- 5 Mark Neary: The father who opened up secret courts
- 6 'Hello mum, this is going to be hard for you to read ...'
- 7 Image released of naked cannibal killed by Miami police as he ate homeless man's face
- 8 United close in on Kagawa after missing out on Hazard
- 9 Coke reveals its secret: It may need to carry a cancer warning
- 10 French in uproar over oral sex anti-smoking posters
Experience the Heineken Hub
Get free wi-fi and exclusive i content while you enjoy a tasty pint of Heineken at participating pubs.
Can you imagine a career in teaching?
Be inspired to teach - let real teachers show you how rewarding the job can be.
Playing a game-changing role during the Games
Cisco is providing the solutions for London 2012's complex IT needs.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Career Services
Day In a Page
Grace Dent
Ireland's austerity D-Day: How much pain can it take?
Is doctors' fixation on treatment making us ill?
Return of the unacceptable face of capitalism?
Off the rails in Bermuda





Comments