- Blues boss faced Norwegian in friendly
- Advised club to do a deal
- Superstar striker now shining for City
WHAT HAPPENED? The Blues legend is back at Stamford Bridge for a stint as interim boss and is set to come up against prolific Norwegian frontman Haaland when taking in a trip to Manchester City on Sunday. Haaland has been a revelation for City this season, netting 52 goals in a record-breaking campaign, but he could have been in west London rather than the North West had Lampard seen a transfer wish granted when the powerful frontman was still on the books of Red Bull Salzburg.
WHAT THEY SAID: Lampard, who coached against Haaland in a pre-season friendly, has said of his recruitment pleas that fell on deaf ears: “He's a player I tried to bring to Chelsea, his level at that point was very clear. Credit to him, I love seeing players at that level with the hunger to be the best. From our point, I was pushing it, I'm not sure what the appetite was elsewhere. The competition was big, I think there was a buyout clause that was relatively reasonable maybe considering the player. I don't know the details. I don't know if he would have decided to come anyway but I was a big fan. I was pushing big, he was the outstanding one.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Lampard worked alongside plenty of fearsome forwards in his playing days, including Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, but he is reluctant to compare modern day sensation Haaland with iconic figures from the past. The Blues boss added: “I couldn't compare him to Didier, but Didier had that impact over a long period of time. Haaland's impact has been more instant. I don't think it's a direct comparison, but they're both great strikers.”
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT? Haaland has beaten the single season record for most Premier League goals this term, as he sits on 36 and counting, with his efforts helping to keep City in the hunt for a historic treble. In contrast, Lampard finds himself back at Chelsea as they have endured a hugely disappointing campaign that still has them sat in the bottom half of the table despite splashing out around £600 million ($747m) on fresh faces.