JUAN MATA has added his weight to the Frank Lampard contract
debate.
Chelsea
is ready to let Lampard walk away for free in the summer after refusing to
offer the midfielder a new deal.
At
34, the Blues believe they have seen the best of a player who has contributed
so much to the club’s success.
But
with Lamps just three goals shy of Bobby Tambling’s long-standing record as
Chelsea’s top scorer, Mata has revealed his admiration for the England
international.
He
said: “I understand why the fans want Frank here — the supporters love him.
“He
is a great guy, a great captain who is a legend. For me and the team-mates it
is an honor to play with him.
“For
10 years he has been scoring more than 10 every season in the Premier League.
He is one of the best.”
While
Mata is keen to see Lampard stick around, the Spaniard is fully aware of the
new generation of stars blazing a trail at Stamford Bridge.
Brazil
international Oscar scored Chelsea’s second goal as they defeated Brentford 4-0
to book an FA Cup fifth-round date with Middlesbrough.
And Mata insists there is much more to come from the
talented midfielder.
He added: “Oscar is a great player. He is still 21, very
young, and already a very, very good player.
“I feel really pleased to play with him. I’m glad because he
is a great guy as well.”
While rumors continue to circulate about the future of
interim Blues boss Rafa Benitez, Mata claims the players are firmly behind him.
He said: “Rafa is the manager; we are all with him
supporting him.
“The manager, staff, supporters and players all want the
same thing — to win trophies. We are here to win.”
Source:
