The Blues legend is surprised so many academy players have been sold (Picture: Sky Sports)
Frank Lampard says he is surprised by Chelsea’s decision to sell so many of their academy graduates and did not want to let Fikayo Tomori leave during his first spell in charge of the club.
The 45-year-old had a difficult period as caretaker manager of the Blues at the end of last season but had enjoyed an encouraging spell at the helm between 2019 and 2021 before being replaced by Thomas Tuchel as things turned sour.
Lampard took over the first time during an incredibly challenging period, with talisman Eden Hazard having just joined Real Madrid and the club blocked from signing any players.
The former midfielder leant heavily on the club’s talented academy as a result, bringing through a host of young players in his first season – though just one of those players, Reece James, is still at Stamford Bridge only a few years later.
Academy graduates such as Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Andreas Christensen, Billy Gilmour and many others have all now left the club.
Lampard expected the academy players he helped develop to form the foundations of Chelsea’s squad for years to come and is surprised that so many have left, though recognises it is difficult to keep young players happy – as he discovered when Tomori pushed to leave against his wishes.
Shown a graphic of all the youngsters who played under him and have now left the club, Lampard told Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football: ‘I think if you look across that list I’m slightly surprised by it.
Tomori joined AC Milan from Chelsea in 2021 (Picture: Getty)
‘At that time I would have expected more players to stay longer. I think every player in there is a different story and sometimes you read between the lines.
‘Fikayo Tomori I wanted to keep, but at the same time I had five centre-backs. He was in and out of the team and he got frustrated and he wanted to leave, that happens with young players.
‘But within that I did think some of those players would stay, but we are in the modern world working with the ownerships of clubs and the sporting directors who are not seeing academy players with maybe what I saw and what fans saw.
Chelsea’s squad is unrecognisable from Lampard’s team (Picture: Sky Sports)
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‘I’m talking about fans that come to Stamford Bridge, they feel a real connection to players who came through.
‘And I thought that was a real strength of this time, even as I left the club, I thought you could see players that would be there for a number of years.
‘Maybe they’ve lost that to a degree. We spoke to Conor [Gallagher] a few minutes ago and I think that’s a nice thing, if I’m a fan I like seeing a boy that’s come through.
‘It’s not the be all and end all, you need good players to succeed. But at that point I thought more players would have stayed the course.’
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