Chelsea are “probably the underdogs” to finish in the top four this season due to a lack of singings in January, according to boss Frank Lampard. The Blues were allowed to sign players during the January transfer window after their Fifa transfer ban was reduced on appeal in December.
But they failed to strengthen, despite links with Paris St-Germain’s Edinson Cavani and Napoli’s Dries Mertens. “Teams have strengthened around us,” said Lampard. “From my view, and this is not to talk ourselves down, because we’re six points clear in fourth, now we become probably the underdogs and the outsiders to some point.”
Manchester United are six points behind the Blues in the Premier League in fifth place and secured the signature of Bruno Fernandes for an initial £47m from Sporting Lisbon. Lampard said: “If I’m looking at it with my business head on and looking around us in the table, Manchester United obviously have signed a big, world-class player in my opinion.”
