London: Frank Lampard is set to make a sensational return to English football with Manchester City.
Lampard, 36, left Chelsea after 13 years this summer and joined City’s US team New York City FC last week. But it is understood that the England midfielder is now ready to sign a six-month loan deal with the Premier League champions.
Although the move would primarily allow Lampard to stay fit until he starts training with his Major League Soccer team in January, he is to be included in City’s squad for the Premier League and Champions League. Manuel Pellegrini’s side face Chelsea on Sunday, September 21.
Lampard still has a number of options on the table but he is reluctant to follow New York’s other star signing David Villa to Australia for the rest of the year to keep fit at City’s other sister club, Melbourne.
Speaking at his unveiling in New York last week, he said: “I will have to keep fit. I’ll have to train at the very top level, whether that’s on my own or with a club somewhere, I’ll have to see.
“Of course I’ll keep fit and make sure my levels don’t drop too much. When we come here for pre-season I I want to be ready to go. I want to fly out of the blocks. I don’t want to come out sluggish.”
Meanwhile, City chief Ferran Soriano has revealed that the £32 million (Dh197.6 million) deal to sign FC Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala will signal the end of their summer spending.
The arrival of Mangala has been held up due to issues over third-party ownership, but City hope to end talks before next weekend’s Community Shield against Arsenal at Wembley.
City’s outlay on players this summer is £50m after the purchase of Porto striker Fernando, Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna and Malaga keeper Willy Caballero.
With the Premier League champions restricted to a £49m net spend for breaching Uefa’s Financial Fair Play regulations, Soriano confirmed there would be no more additions.
“We knew one year ago the positions we wanted to reinforce and we did it,” he said.
