Frank Lampard, a legendary figure at Chelsea, recently revealed his strong desire to bring a significant addition to the club during his first tenure as its manager. Speaking on the ‘Obi One Podcast,’ Lampard disclosed that he had pushed for the signing of Jude Bellingham. Unfortunately, the club’s higher-ups did not embrace this idea at the time.
Jude Bellingham, aged 20, rapidly emerged as one of today’s top global midfielders in the football world. His displays validated Real Madrid’s £100 million summer investment, drawing interest from several top European clubs.
Chelsea wanted Jude Bellingham, but Real Madrid was ahead. Real Madrid had already done a lot of work in talking to Bellingham and was in a better position to sign him. Real Madrid was the favorite because they had started discussions with Bellingham before others. Chelsea and other top clubs were interested, but Real Madrid had a head start. Despite Lampard’s enthusiasm, the deal did not come to fruition during his time as Chelsea’s manager.
Lampard Eagerly Pursued Jude Bellingham for Chelsea
The Blues could have avoided all this talk if they had heeded Lampard’s advice a few years ago. He has now revealed that he strongly advocated for the club to sign him for just one-fifth of the price he eventually commanded. He said,
“When I was managing at Chelsea (first time) I was desperate to bring Jude Bellingham in. But I couldn’t get it through upstairs – the idea of paying £20m for someone his age (at the time).”
Despite not getting Jude Bellingham, the fans at Stamford Bridge can feel content with their midfield choices. Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez are developing a strong partnership in midfield, and they will be soon joined by Romeo Lavia as he gets ready for his debut after dealing with injuries.
