Ex-Chelsea midfielder Franck Lampard has signed a two-year deal with New York FC.
Lampard was released by the Blues at the end of the 2013/14 season after his contract with the West London club expired, drawing the curtain on his 13-year spell.
“I had a fantastic 13 years at Chelsea and can look back at that with pride, but it was a great time for me and Chelsea to move on,” Lampard said in a news conference.
New York City FC, an emerging Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise- owned by Premier League champions Manchester City- will not be in action until 2015- when the new American soccer league season begins.
They are currently building their squad for their first MLS campaign and have already signed ex-Spain striker David Villa from La Liga champions Atletico Madrid.
The club is understood to be nursing the prospect of an immediate loan move back to Europe for the Chelsea legend, a three-time Player of the year award recipient at Stamford Bridge and the club’s all-time top scorer with 211 goals in 649 matches in all competitions.
“I’m going to keep fit, that’s the main thing,” replied Lampard, when asked what he will be up to between now and the beginning of his career off the shores of his home country.
“How I do that is not clear yet, this has all just happened. I will sit down with people from the club and find the best way forward.”
New York City sporting director and former City midfielder Claudio Reyna says “we are exploring a few options.”
Lampard is the Premier League’s all-time leading midfield goal scorer with 171 goals from his time with West Ham to his hay days at Chelsea.
Wishing Frank Lampard the very best of luck in New York! #SuperFrank
— Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) July 24, 2014
Having joined Chelsea from Boleyn Ground in June 2001 in an £11m deal, the London-born midfielder went on to win three league titles and four FA Cup winner’s medal, before captaining the side to their first-ever Champions League and Europa League triumphs in quick succession in 2011-12 and 2012-13 respectively.
The ‘Three Lions’s’ highest scoring midfielder with 29 goals from 106 international caps says he will decide on his international career with his new professional challenge finalised.
