Jose Mourinho urged Lampard to stay back at Chelsea

Frank Lampard (L) with Jose Mourinho

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho had urged midfielder Frank Lampard to stay back at the club for the ensuing season.

Lampard was looking to make the switch to play Major League Soccer in the United States, after he had not been offered a contract at the club.

However, a changed decision saw the 35-year-old sign a one-year deal in May and Mourinho revealed that he talked Lampard into not going to the USA.

Speaking to Sky sports Mourinho said: “I was telling him, the way I know you – don’t go to American soccer. You are a player who needs to compete every week at the highest level, you are a player that needs to be in real competition.”

Mourinho also believed that though football is a an upcoming sport in America and would treat Lampard as a very important player, he was not going to enjoy the sport as it would not be at the level that exists in the EPL.