LONDON — Frank Lampard's goals have ensured he will always have a fond place in Chelsea fans' hearts but with no contract extension on the horizon his future at the heart of the club looks increasingly doubtful. The midfielder's 191st and 192nd goals for Chelsea in its 2-1 win over Everton Sunday took him to within one of Kerry Dixon in second place in the club's all time scorer list, but there appears to be no room for sentiment as Chelsea's powerbrokers prepare for next season. “We haven't been talking about a new contract in the last couple of weeks,” Lampard told the BBC. “At the moment nothing has been said and my contract is up in the summer.” Lampard, 34, has made more than 500 appearances for the club since joining from West Ham United in 2001 for 11 million pounds ($17.77 million). He arrived with a bagful of potential but was molded into one of Europe's most feared attacking midfielders with an uncanny knack of timing runs into the box and a magnet for the loose ball. His two goals against Everton showed that while the legs may not be able to carry him from box to box as they did in his heyday, his ability to be in the right place at the right time remains. “I'm enjoying playing, I'm working hard in training, I'm loving being part of the team,” he added. “That is all I can tell you for the minute and that is enough for me I am happy with that - to keep playing well and to contribute to days like today.” Chelsea has a new generation of attacking midfield players in Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard who are all capable of playing in the ‘hole' while the high-energy Ramires patrols the central areas. With further additions likely, Lampard would be wise to think hard about whether it is better to allow his star to wane on the fringes of the squad or go out on a high with his role in last season's Champions League triumph still fresh in the mind. With media reports suggesting other clubs would be keen to offer him a short-term deal, he would have to decide whether he would be happy to play a bit-part role at Chelsea in the manner of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs at Manchester United. Milan hoping to keep Robinho or Pato AC Milan is still hoping to keep at least one of its two unsettled Brazilian strikers, Alexandre Pato and Robinho, club President Silvio Berlusconi said in a radio interview Monday. Pato is involved in negotiations for a move to world club champion Corinthians and Robinho has also been the subject of speculation over a return home with his former club Santos among the contenders. “I hope that only one of them leaves,” Berlusconi told Radio Lombardia. “I'm especially sorry about Pato because until he started this incredible sequence of injuries, he was Milan's number one player for the future, a true champion.” — Agencies
