Five players Chelsea could sign to replace Frank Lampard next season.
5. Florian Thauvin – Marseille
The young French midfielder has been extensively scouted by the Stamford Bridge outfit in the past when he was with Lille. He impressed so much whilst on loan with Bastia in the 2012/13 season, and showed that he was capable of getting himself into double figures in the goalscoring charts. However, a move failed to materialise. This shouldn’t be a problem this summer should they decide to move for him as the south coast club need to cut costs and could be tempted to cash in on their starlet for a considerable fee.
4. Ross Barkley – Everton
The 20-year-old is already following in Lampard’s footsteps by taking steps into the England national team, and after a series of strong performances with Everton the rest of the Premier League has began to sit up and take notice. He most likely wouldn’t be a like for like replacement, but he would be able to mould into the position over time and become a lynchpin in the blues’ midfield over time as he becomes more familiar with the pressure that filling Lampard’s boots would create.
3. Ivan Rakitic – Sevilla
The Croatian has already been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United, and it’s easy to see why as he has stepped into the club’s captaincy without batting an eyelid. His creativity and leadership have been vital to the club’s good form this season, and has often drawn comparisons with Lampard. He can also offer a more defensive option, which would make him a valuable asset. He will join a Premier League side sooner or later, but Chelsea will need to act fast in order to make sure it’s with them.
2. Marek Hamsik – Napoli
The Slovenian midfielder continues to impress in southern Italy, but his impressive performances have often been overshadowed by the likes of Edinson Cavani in the past and Gonzalo Higuain now. Still, Hamsik is a player who has shown that he has bags attacking ability over the last few seasons, and could be a great addition to Chelsea’s midfield if Lampard is let go. His passing and goalscoring tally will mean that the damage is limited.
1. Isco – Real Madrid
The 21-year-old is still one of the brightest young talents in Europe at the moment, and is wanted by Arsenal, PSG and Manchester City despite not gaining a regular foothold in the Real Madrid squad. With a knack for poaching goals from midfield as well as being a talented playmaker, he would be the ideal long-term replacement for Lampard, and could make the position his own for the next ten years should the Blues manage to convince the Spanish giants to let him go.