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Chelsea have revealed that they have made the first moves towards awarding veteran midfielder Frank Lampard a new contract to stay at the club he has given 12 years of wonderful service.
With Lampard's current deal running out at the end of the season, Chelsea fans have grown increasingly angry that the club were apparently willing to let him leave without any dialogue.
Set to stay?: Chelsea have opened talks with Frank Lampard
The last word: Lampard's late penalty in the FA Cup was his 194th goal for the club, moving him second on the all-time Chelsea goalscorers list
Faced with yet another backlash yesterday at Southampton, where Lampard scored as Chelsea crushed Saints 5-1 in their FA Cup third-round tie, sources within the club insisted that discussions had taken place to keep the 34-year-old at Stamford Bridge.
They declined to go into detail but confirmed that Lampard's 150,000-a-week salary would not be slashed as a primary condition of any new deal.
'The subject of a pay cut has never been raised nor discussed in any of the recent conversations between the club, the player or his agent,' said the source.
Making his point: Frank Lampard celebrates scoring for Chelsea
On the sidelines: But Frank Lampard (right) still makes and impact for Chelsea
Chelsea fans chanted 'Sign him up, sign him up' after Lampard's goal but manager Rafa Benitez says he is powerless to intervene as it is beyond his remit as interim boss.
'Frank is a good professional and he is under contract until the end of the season,' said the Spaniard. 'I know there have been some conversations at some time but I was not there.'
While Lampard's future remains clouded by uncertainty and hangs on the whim of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, he is continuing to embroider his legend at the club.
No influence: Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez cannot decide if Frank Lampard stays
Lampard arrived as a substitute in the 65th minute and responded by winning a late penalty which he then converted to complete the rout of Southampton as Chelsea began the defence of the FA Cup in style.
It was Lampard's 25th goal in the FA Cup for Chelsea, equalling the record of Bobby Tambling.
Astonishingly, it was also his 193rd in all for the club, putting him level with Kerry Dixon. one of the finest strikers in Chelsea history, and just nine behind Tambling's record of 202.
I dont think chelsea shows the right respect to lamps after what he did for the club for 12 yrs
- mintemim , addis ababa, Ethiopia, 06/1/2013 06:35
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