Frank Lampard thinking of friends at Chelsea in ‘tough moment’ for former club

Frank Lampard has offered his support to friends at Chelsea amid the Stamford Bridge club’s “tough moment”.

Chelsea’s all-time top-scorer and former manager believes the reigning world and European champions will survive the turbulence of owner Roman Abramovich’s Government sanctions.

Abramovich’s UK assets are now frozen except for Chelsea, with the Blues continuing to operate under a strict licence.

Everton boss Lampard admitted hoping those people he knows from his time at Chelsea and the club’s fans can quickly emerge from the current uncertainty.

“I managed there for nearly two years, played there for 13 years and I have friends who work behind the scenes,” said Lampard.

“There will obviously be something on a human level if people are losing their jobs at Chelsea that I would care about.

“I care about the fans; the fans of Chelsea that were there before us and will be there after us. It is a tough moment for the club.

“I don’t want to hang on it too much because I am manager of Everton and that’s my priority, but of course on a human level for people who are just doing their jobs and that is in danger you care a lot about that.”

Lampard insisted he had not been close to Abramovich despite his long and storied association with the Russian-Israeli billionaire’s Blues.

But asked if he had revised his opinion of the 55-year-old, Lampard said: “No. One of the questions earlier said I was close to Roman Abramovich. I could count on the fingers of one hand how many times I’ve seen him in the last many years.

“I worked for Chelsea Football Club for 13 years and it was an absolute pleasure, and that’s exactly where I want to leave that one.”

I care about the fans; the fans of Chelsea that were there before us and will be