Here is your Chelsea morning digest for Monday, May 4.
Lampard lauds “world class” Kante
Chelsea midfield lynchpin N’Golo Kante has only made 22 appearances this season, but has earned huge praise from manager Frank Lampard.
He told the Chelsea website that World Cup winner Kante is “one of the best players in the world”.
“We obviously need N’Golo Kante in our team, one of the best players in the world,” Lampard said.
“I knew that before becoming manager of Chelsea, I know that from working with him.
“We unfortunately haven’t been able to have him much this year, but going forward we want him fit and ready to go.”
Lampard added that he believes the coronavirus lockdown has given his injured players the time they need to return to full fitness.
“We had quite a few injuries going into the period when we finished playing,” he said.
“Kante is a great example. Obviously he had played four or five incredible seasons in terms of his success as an individual.
“He has been used, quite rightly so, by his managers a lot.”
Misfit Bakayoko could stay in France – or may make Spain move
French midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, who is currently on loan at Monaco from Chelsea, is attracting interest from both Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla.
France Football claim the £40m defensive midfielder will have a choice between the two clubs, with Monaco bulking at Chelsea’s asking price, as well as being unable to afford his wages on a permanent basis.
Bakoyoko, who joined the Blues in the summer of 2017, impressed last season while on loan at AC Milan, but seemingly did not do enough for Lampard to sanction a return to Stamford Bridge.
Spaniards Sevilla may reportedly step up their interest in the 25 year old, especially if they secure Champions League qualification.
Kepa may not be a keeper at Chelsea
Chelsea star Kepa Arrizabalaga is a highly-capable goalkeeper, but is not in the same bracket as his predecessor Thibaut Courtois.
The Spaniard arrived with big expectations, but - thus far - has not been able to live up to the hype.
Kepa’s form has been up and down this season and Lampard eventually lost patience at the turn of the year.
Willy Caballero, 38, replaced Kepa between the sticks during a run of matches in February, but his form was equally inconsistent and Kepa was reinstated.
Both Kepa and Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea have suffered patchy form for their clubs, which could be causing concerns for fans of Spain ahead of the rescheduled European Championships.
Kepa started six of La Roja’s Euro qualifiers, with De Gea making three starts.
Haaland makes Lampard admission
Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland has named Chelsea manager Frank Lampard as the one player who has retired that he would have liked to have played with.
The 19-year-old forward caught the eye in the Champions League this season with Red Bull Salzburg, leading to widespread interest in his services - including that of Manchester United. Read here
