Former Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard, has expressed his surprise at the Premier League club’s decision to sell a significant number of their academy graduates. Lampard specifically mentioned that he did not want to let go of Fikayo Tomori during his first tenure as manager.
The Lampard Era at Stamford Bridge
Lampard enjoyed a successful spell as Chelsea’s manager from 2019 to 2021 before being replaced by Thomas Tuchel. However, he returned to the club as the caretaker manager at the end of last season.
An Unexpected Departure
During an interview with Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Lampard was shown a graphic of all the young players who had played under him and have since left the club. He expressed his surprise at the situation, saying, “I think if you look across that list, I’m slightly surprised by it.”
Lampard further explained, “At that time, I would have expected more players to stay longer. I believe each player has a different story, and sometimes you have to read between the lines.”
The Case of Fikayo Tomori
Regarding Fikayo Tomori, Lampard revealed, “I wanted to keep him, but at the same time, I had five centre-backs. He was in and out of the team, and he got frustrated and wanted to leave. This is something that happens with young players.”
Lampard also acknowledged the complexities of modern football, saying, “But within that, I did think some of those players would stay. However, we are in the modern world, working with club ownerships and sporting directors who perhaps don’t see academy players in the same light as I do, or as fans do.”
