Frank Lampard may be staying at Manchester City longer than he expected as the club are set to extend his deal till February of next year with Yaya Toure being absent for the African Nations Cup in January.
Lampard, who scored against his former club Chelsea, on the weekend to salvage a point for City was originally supposed to leave for New York City FC in January.
With Toure leaving on Ivory Coast duty, Fernando and Fernandinho will be the only specialists midfielders left in the squad.
The Ivorian hinted at retirement from international football but could make one last attempt to win a trophy in national colours and could miss clashes with Chelsea and Everton away, and the home match with Arsenal.
When asked about the issue, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said, “I can’t answer about that in this moment. Frank will stay until January because until January he doesn’t have anything to do in the United States because they are not working. In January we will see what is happening and we will make a decision then. It is not a problem in this moment.”
Manchester City play Chelsea on 31st January at Stamford Bridge, a match which very well may be Lampard’s final bow to his former club.