Lampard to explore transfer options after seeing Chelsea’s ban lifted

Frank Lampard is ready to explore Chelsea’s options in the transfer market now that a recruitment embargo on the club has been lifted.

It was revealed on Friday that the Court of Arbitration for Sport has halved the initial two-window ban that the Blues were stung with.

Lampard told reporters when quizzed on his plans for the New Year: “It is what it is. Now we know.

“The club was working towards this and it’s a positive outcome. We can look forward and it’s good from a footballing point of view.

“We haven’t discussed it too much before the decision. Now it’s a discussion we can take up.

“I’m not going to go down too many lines. We will see where we are. In terms of the bigger picture it is constantly fluid.”

Pressed further on whether transfer plans have already been discussed, Lampard added: “I haven’t had that conversation.

“The fact that people have given us credit, that has to go to the group. I want more and to be higher up the table.

“If there is a chance to strengthen, then we will look at it.”

The winter window is a notoriously difficult one to navigate, as asking prices get pushed up mid-season, but Lampard is confident that Chelsea have the right people in place.

“It’s a challenge, yeah,” he said.

“The one thing I felt that when you come into a club, sometimes players you bring in is key to that.

“Going forward it is something that I will bring to the club. It won’t just be myself. I have a very open discussion with Marina [Granovskaia]. It will be a challenge and hopefully we will get it right.

“When [Roman] Abramovich came in the landscape changed and it made me stand up and want to be better than those coming in.

“We want a competitive squad. I see the squad as 20+ and if players come in or leave it is a vision of where we want to go.”

Lampard moved to rule out any suggestion that the freedom to add means that Olivier Giroud is destined to now head for the exits.

If the France international striker were to depart Stamford Bridge, then the option would be there to bring in another striker.

Lampard is, however, keen to keep his cards close to his chest when it comes to possible targets.

He added: “It depends on the player.

“We have to keep the balance of the squad and it has to feel right. It doesn’t matter if it’s January, July or not.”