England star reveals he nearly left Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard has revealed he came close to leaving Chelsea last season but says he would have gone overseas rather than join a rival Premier League club.
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The 34-year-old was out of contract last June and was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge for much of last season.
But Lampard signed a new one-year contract in May, the day after the club won the Europa League.
The England international was repeatedly linked with a move to MLS but there were also reports claiming Manchester United and Arsenal were keen to raid their rivals for the goal-scorer.
The former West Ham United player, who joined Chelsea for £11m in 2001, said he was close to leaving Stamford Bridge but has insisted he would have gone abroad, rather than join another Premier League club.
“Yes, there was [a genuine chance of leaving Chelsea],” Lampard told FourFourTwo.
“At one stage I was out of contract and I wasn’t going to get a new one. It was the first time I had been in that situation, so I had to open my eyes to going elsewhere.
“But I didn’t want to leave because I still have a lot to offer. If I had left I would have gone abroad, I just can’t imagine myself playing for another Premier League team after such a long career at Chelsea.”
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