Lampard should be Chelsea player for good, says Mourinho
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-05 10:11

LONDON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - England midfielder Frank Lampard can expect Chelsea to offer him a contract that would keep him with the English champions for the rest of his career, coach Jose Mourinho said on Wednesday.

"I believe before his contract ends Chelsea will offer him an agreement until the end of his career," Mourinho was quoted as saying in the London Evening Standard newspaper.

"He has the kind of deal which I doubt any other club in the world could beat. We don't need to sell players and he loves Chelsea.

"I would not change him for anyone. His performances from the beginning to the end in any circumstances are incomparable."

Lampard, who last month set a Premier League record of 164 consecutive appearances, was voted second behind Barcelona's Ronaldinho in the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year poll.

He is Chelsea's leading scorer with 13 goals, six more than strikers Hernan Crespo and Didier Drogba, and second only to Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy in the Premier League.

Chelsea sign Maniche on loan from Dynamo Moscow

LONDON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Chelsea signed Portugal midfielder Maniche on loan from Dynamo Moscow on Wednesday, the English champions said.

The 28-year-old former Porto player has joined coach Jose Mourinho's Premier League leaders until the end of the season, the English side said on their official website.

Maniche, who won the European Cup with Porto under Mourinho in 2004, is eligible to play for Chelsea in the Champions League because he has not played in Europe for Dynamo.

He joined Dynamo in May 2005 for a Russian record transfer fee of 16 million euros ($19.3 million), along with Porto team mate Costinha.

Atletico Madrid were linked last month with Maniche, who was unsettled in Moscow.

Maniche, who also worked under Mourinho at Benfica in 2000, will increase Chelsea's midfield options during a spell when they will be without Michael Essien.

The Ghana international will join his country for the African Nations Cup in Egypt later this month if he recovers from an ankle injury he sustained in Chelsea's 3-1 win at West Ham United on Monday.

Maniche was a key member of the Portugal team that reached the final of Euro 2004 in their home country.