The question of just how far Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is willing to back under-fire boss Andre Villas-Boas was raised again last night as two veterans were linked with club exits.
According to two separate reports in this morning’s issues of The Sun and Daily Mirror, both Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole – who were each dropped from the starting XI for the 3-1 Champions League defeat to Napoli – are looking for a move.
31-year-old left-back Cole is alleged to have confronted AVB after his starting line-up omission during the week and according to the tabloid, the open mutiny of the manager’s ways is causing such friction at the club that owner Abramovich may step in to defend the 34-year-old Portuguese boss.
“Andre Villas-Boas was Mr Abramovich’s personal choice. In the past, the senior players have sometimes got their way over an unpopular manager.” a club insider told the paper. “But this time Mr Abramovich is fed up with their moaning.”
As for the Mirror, the rival newspaper believes that Frank Lampard may fill a giant David Beckham-sized hole in Paris Saint Germain’s plans to sign a commercially viable veteran midfielder.
The mega-rich club, led by former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, are reportedly looking to swoop for the 33-year-old, but he is understood to be due a £1.5 million loyalty boss if he stays at the team until the end of his current contract, which expires in June 2013.
