Chelsea boss Frank Lampard warned his young stars to raise their game — because new signings will be after their places. Chelsea may not have done much business during the January window, but there is expected to be a number of signings during the summer transfer window to turn this Chelsea side back into Champions of both Europe and the Premier League.
It could mean a number of their rising stars will have to compete with some very top players, and Lampard has now come out and told his young stars that they will need to raise their game or they could lose their places in the side, telling THE SUN: “They have now shown they’re part of this first-team squad and they’ve all had their inputs, but I want more — and I want more now.
“It’s a critical time for us and we want the young players to do the thing. You look at Tammy at the moment and maybe Mason, they can come back and hopefully show more levels in their game. They have had tough little times recently and it’s up to them now to show they are a big part of our plans whatever — no matter who we bring in.
“When you come through the academy here, you should understand what playing for the first-team at Chelsea looks like and you must always drive yourself. “If there are times when you’re not quite at your best, you have to drive yourself again.
“We should be slightly on edge. People are being tense and competitive. And we have to take that into the game against United, we really do.
“We want to be pushing to close the gap to the standard which, at the moment, is Liverpool. That’s the longer-term vision. “The prospect of signings is a good thing and needs to be reacted to in the right way.
“I certainly felt it. When I was young, I was probably a bit fearful of it. Looking back, it was part of the process of making me. “And I think I did take that challenge on. Of course, the players now have to take that challenge on constantly.”