Frank Lampard wants to join Inter Milan but it is ultimately Chelsea's decision, the Italian Serie A club's president Massimo Moratti said. The Italian champions, managed by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, have bid for the England midfielder but the London club has so far said it is not willing to negotiate.
New manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said on Tuesday that Frank Lampard would remain at Chelsea for this season and beyond, underlining the club's refusal to consider any offers for the England midfielder. Speaking at his first news conference since taking the Chelsea post, Scolari said he had spoken to Lampard and received assurances the player was still committed to the London club.
Chelsea reclaimed top spot in the Premier League with a crushing 5-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday but Tottenham Hotspur were brought down to earth when Stoke City snatched a late 1-0 victory at White Hart Lane.
Chelsea went some way to relieving the pressure on coach Luiz Felipe Scolari by coming from behind to beat Southend United 4-1 in an entertaining FA Cup third-round replay on Wednesday.
Frank Lampard controlled his inner turmoil and scored with a brilliantly taken penalty to put Chelsea within sight of their first Champions League final on Wednesday. The 29-year-old England midfielder, whose mother Pat died at 58 from pneumonia last Thursday, then let his guard down and wept with emotion while his celebrating team mates swamped him. The goal, after 98 minutes of a pulsating semi-final second leg against Liverpool, turned the match Chelsea's way.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has apologised for shoving his Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho on the touchline during a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard struck four goals as Chelsea rebounded from their FA Cup reverse at Barnsley at the weekend to defeat Derby 6-1 in EPL.
Liverpool were knocked out of the FA Cup in stunning fashion on Saturday when Championship (second division) Barnsley beat them 2-1 at Anfield with a last-minute goal by Brian Howard.
Images from the English Premier League matches on Saturday.
New Everton boss Sean Dyche's reign began with a shock 1-0 victory over English Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Last season's beaten Champions League finalists, began their new campaign with a convincing 4-0 victory over Girondins Bordeaux in their Group A match at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
Chelsea proved unpopular guests at the Alan Shearer homecoming party on Saturday as they won 2-0 at St James' Park to stay in the Premier League title hunt and leave Newcastle United mired in relegation trouble.
Inter Milan appear to have given up their pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard after signing Sulley Muntari from Portsmouth on Monday.
Five talking points from the Premier League weekend:
England begin their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign against Czech Republic on Friday at Wembley Stadium
Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 with a Michael Essien goal to move back up to second place in the Premier League on Sunday.
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is very keen to join Inter Milan, the Italian club's director Gabriele Oriali said on Thursday. Chelsea said this week they would not enter into negotiations with the Serie A champions over the England player, who has a year left on his contract.
Chelsea's England midfielder Frank Lampard is a transfer target for Serie A champions Inter Milan, club president Massimo Moratti said on Monday. Lampard is one of several Chelsea players to have been linked with a move to the San Siro since the London club's former boss Jose Mourinho was appointed Inter coach earlier this month.
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said he hoped the Football Association would overturn the red card shown to midfielder Frank Lampard on Sunday.
Fernando Torres struck two late goals on Sunday as Liverpool revived their flagging title hopes with a deserved 2-0 victory at home to Chelsea. Liverpool, who had drawn their previous three Premier League matches, moved back above Chelsea into second place with 51 points from 24 games, two points behind champions Manchester United who have played a game fewer.
Ten days ago John Terry was carried off the pitch with a dislocated shoulder but that will be nothing compared with the pain he will be feeling after missing the chance to win the Champions League for Chelsea.
England coach Steve McClaren refused to point the finger at blundering Paul Robinson after the goalkeeper's error gifted Germany an equaliser in Wednesday's 2-1 friendly defeat at Wembley Stadium.
Premier League referee Rob Styles has been dropped from this weekend's matches after awarding Chelsea a controversial penalty in Sunday's match at Liverpool.
Manchester United moved top of the Premier League on Saturday after Dimitar Berbatov struck in the last minute to give them a 1-0 win over Bolton Wanderers.
Wayne Rooney of England and the Netherlands' Ruud van Nistelrooy continue to lead the goal scorers' list with four goals each at the Euro 2004 football tournament in Portugal after Friday's quarter-final between Greece and France.
The England striker has four goals to his name after Monday's matches at Euro 2004.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger fanned the flames of his dispute with the English FA on Friday by accusing them of running an "unfair and dishonest" disciplinary system.
A round-up of weekend action in the main European leagues.
Chelsea maintained the pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester United on Saturday when another Frank Lampard special gave the champions a 1-0 win at strugglers Charlton Athletic.
Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool also joined Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.
Chelsea have told Inter Milan they are not prepared to consider any approach for England midfielder Frank Lampard. The Stamford Bridge club confirmed they had received an approach from the Italian champions but denied media reports that an offer had been made for the 30-year-old who has 12 months remaining on his contract.
West Ham United and Chelsea both narrowly avoided ignominious FA Cup exits with narrow wins against lower-league opposition but Everton marked Frank Lampard's first game in charge by sauntering past Brentford into the fifth round on Saturday.
England scored a morale-boosting 3-0 victory over Israel at Wembley Stadium on Saturday to improve their chances of qualifying for Euro 2008.
It was Chelsea's first defeat in 19 league outings and extended their bad run at Villa Park to nine matches without a win.
Jose Mourinho and Rafa Benitez renewed their verbal battle over the penalty that saw Chelsea draw with Liverpool.
The to were shortlisted for FIFA's World Player of the Year award, which will be announced on December 19.
Chelsea will play Manchester United in the Champions League final after two goals from Didier Drogba and a penalty from a grieving Frank Lampard gave them a 3-2 second leg semi-final victory over Liverpool on Wednesday.
News of all that tranpired on and off the football field.
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has urged the club to sort out a new contract sooner rather than later. The England player said he had no desire to leave the west London club despite media speculation about him moving abroad.