Chelsea are ready to hand midfielder Frank Lampard a massive £40,000-a-week pay hike to keep him away from the clutches of Barcelona.
Chelsea are so alarmed at the prospect of losing their most influential player they are ready to give Lamps another hefty pay hike.
Lampard, 27, still has three years to run on his current £80,000-a- week deal, plus £10,000 on top for image rights and sponsorship work.
But Blues owner Roman Abramovich has approved a £130,000-a- week deal to put Lampard on a par with new signings Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack.
Even Barca’s offer of Portuguese playmaker Deco in part-exchange is unlikely to tempt Blues into a deal.
Chelsea are so alarmed at the prospect of losing their most influential player they are ready to give Lamps another hefty pay hike.
Lampard, 27, still has three years to run on his current £80,000-a- week deal, plus £10,000 on top for image rights and sponsorship work.
But Blues owner Roman Abramovich has approved a £130,000-a- week deal to put Lampard on a par with new signings Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack.
Even Barca’s offer of Portuguese playmaker Deco in part-exchange is unlikely to tempt Blues into a deal.
