Chelsea: Should Lampard be given more time to succeed?
Chelsea have no interest in signing Paulo Dybala, with full focus on helping to integrate their summer signings. The Blues spent more than £200million in the previous window, with Frank Lampard adding a number of attacking talents.
After being forced to navigate his way through a transfer embargo in his first season, Lampard was fully backed by Roman Abramovich this time around.
It hasn’t all gone to plan however, with the Londoners in the midst of a run that has included just one win in their last six games.
That has led to increased pressure on Lampard – and an increased spotlight on some of the arrivals.
Kai Havertz was brought to Stamford Bridge in a deal worth £72m, but has failed to hit the ground running in the early months of his Premier League career.
Chelsea make Paulo Dybala transfer decision because of Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech (Image: GETTY)
A mixture of illness – the German tested positive for Covid back in November – and switching positions, has led to inconsistent form, with just one goal to show for his first 15 appearances in the league.
Timo Werner was another to come to West London with high expectations, but similarly to his compatriot he has struggled to adapt.
It’s now nine league games without a goal for Werner, but Lampard has insisted both need time to develop and adapt to their new surroundings.
Lampard told talkSPORT: "The people that question them should look at other top players that have come at a young age to this country.
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Lampard will be hoping to win his first major trophy as Chelsea boss this season (Image: EXPRESS)
The Argentinian has 18 months left on his current deal and has been offered new terms by the Serie A champions.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has claimed if he doesn’t pen a new deal, he is likely to be on the move – but Chelsea won’t be in the race.
“Someone is asking me about Dybala because he is not extending at the moment his contract with Juventus, so there is nothing decided, but if he doesn’t extend his contract with Juventus before the summer, I think he will leave Juventus,” Romano said on his Here We Go podcast.
“I want to say that Chelsea have not made any contact with Dybala or his agent.
“They want to defend players like Havertz or Hakim Ziyech. They are happy with them.
“Obviously, they need time to be at their best level, in particular Havertz needs time, he’s so young, but they spend like €100m on Havertz, so they don’t want to say after one year we’ll go with Dybala and Havertz will sit on the bench, so at the moment there is nothing between Chelsea and Dybala.”