by Crunch Sports Staff
Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo is hopeful that Frank Lampard will extend his stay at the club. Lampard, who is out of contract next summer, was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge last season, with LA Galaxy believed to be keen on signing him. But the 34-year-old is believed to be keen on agreeing new terms with the Blues, and Di Matteo is also wanting the veteran to remain a Chelsea player. When asked if he was hopeful that the England international would agree a new contract, Di Matteo said: “I am, yes.” He added: “These are talks between the club and the player. “I’ve been very happy with Frank and he shows his qualities that he has in every game that he plays, so a very influential player within the group as well.” Despite his age, Di Matteo believes Lampard can still perform at the highest level for some time to come. “He’s in good shape, he’s not suffered any major injuries and he looks after himself,” the Italian said. “We’ve seen that many players who live a professional life can go on and play up to their late 30s.”