FRANK LAMPARD has told Chelsea’s homegrown heroes to deal with the threat from big-money signings.
The early lifting of a Fifa transfer ban means boss Lamps has £150million to spend next month if he wants.
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Borussia Dortmund’s England star Jadon Sancho, Leicester defender Ben Chilwell and Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace are some of the star names on his radar.
There is extra competition on the horizon for academy graduates Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James and Fikayo Tomori all over the pitch.
But they can expect little sympathy from their boss.
Lampard said: “It’s healthy and par for the course at a club like Chelsea.
“You shouldn’t expect it to be any other way. It keeps you on your toes and that’s a good thing. I remember when Fernando Torres came to the club and it was a statement signing. They were always exciting.
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“They might not have been to the other centre-forwards but when you are a player and want to be successful and push, you get excited by players coming in.
“And on the flip of that, if you are that centre-forward, then it has to drive you to react.
“If I look at where I can strengthen, it’s not going to be a slant on the young players.
“We have seen that giving the academy boys a chance is a really good idea because they have deserved it and haven’t had that in the past.
“My biggest thing here is how hard can we work on the training ground because I know we have a good squad.”
For now Lampard must focus on regaining momentum in the Premier League, starting against Bournemouth today, as one win in four games has threatened their top-four chances.
Next month will be a crunch period for Lamps’ so-far healthy relationship with his superiors at Stamford Bridge as, in the past, transfers have brought tension.
Antonio Conte used every opportunity to openly denounce the Blues’ transfer processes, even hinting he did not want to sign striker Olivier Giroud in January 2018.
His fractious relationship with director Marina Grnovskaia ultimately cost him his job — and Chelsea a £9m payoff.
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Lampard added: “We haven’t bought anyone yet, so I haven’t had that problem.
“But to answer it seriously, I have had very open conversations with Marina, which is speaking to the owner as far as I’m concerned. And I sit with my staff daily for hours.
“We talk about the team and how we can improve.
“The conversations have been very open, so I am happy with it.
“But if I say I want Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for my front three, I might get knocked back.
“When it comes to recruitment, I want to have a big say in it and we are very open.”
Struggling Bournemouth have been dealt an injury blow ahead of the trip to the Bridge with the news Nathan Ake faces six weeks out.
Defender Ake, 24, limped off with a hamstring injury during last week’s 3-0 loss to Liverpool.
Boss Eddie Howe said: “It is very difficult to give definitive timelines on hamstring injuries.
“It depends how Nathan feels but I think we’re looking six weeks. That’s conservative, Nathan could come back sooner.”
