Frank Lampard: "Chelsea should offer John Terry a new deal"

Should he stay or should he go?

If he were alive, it’s probably a question Chelsea fan Joe Strummer would be asking of the club’s stalwart defender John Terry, who looks set to leave the Premier League giants after refusing a one-year extension.

And now Frank Lampard, speaking exclusively to ShortList as part of a forthcoming interview, has called on the club to offer his former teammate a new deal: 

"I would like to see them offer it," he said. "I think it’s obvious John wants it and I think he can still stay at Chelsea."

A permanent feature in Chelsea’s title winning side last year, Terry has found himself in and out of the starting 11 during this season’s tumultuous campaign. But Lampard claims his performances have been the best of the back four: 

"Of course I’m friends with John, but purely from a football perspective and from what he’s done on the pitch, and as a starting player in all their big and important games when he’s started them this season, I think he’s been their best defender this year."

Heroic goal-line clearances aside, Lampard also claim's Roman Abramovich & co would benefit from keeping the former England defender because of his experience alone:

"What John offers is a link with the fans and an appreciation of the young players who he would want to help come through. He’s Mr Chelsea. Those are the sorts of players you need at the club. Without telling the club what to do, I think Chelsea are looking to change the old nucleus we had, what with myself, Ashley [Cole], Didier [Drogba] and Petr [Cech] gone, John’s almost the last one standing. But I don’t think he’s going to be an issue with that - he’ll even help the transition with helping the younger players. 

"I don’t think Chelsea will make decisions for the wrong reasons but if I was there, that’s the message I’ll be saying," the midfielder added.

Interestingly, Lampard, who now plays for New York City FC, also weighed in on reports suggesting Terry is also headed stateside himself:

"He’s the best defender I ever played with, quite comfortably. So if Chelsea let him go and John’s sitting there, I’ll get his plane ticket and get him over here."

You heard it here first.

Frank Lampard was speaking to ShortList as part of Football Shirt Friday. For more information on the Bobby Moore Fund or to sign up for Football Shirt Friday on 22 April, go to Bobbymoorefund.org

[Images: Rex]