The 2013 summer is going to be another one of change, expensive signings and big names leaving, with Chelsea hoping to finally sign Andre Schurrle from Leverkusen, 12 months too late in the eyes of some, while the departure of Frank Lampard, possibly to the Los Angeles Galaxy, becomes more and more imminent.
But we’ll begin with the better and younger player, the Leverkusen star who is enjoying a very good season individually and in general with his team, scoring a career high nine goals so far in 28 matches, while Leverkusen are placed at third, hoping to remain in the top 3 and make their return to the Champions League.
Schurrle was on Chelsea’s transfer crosshairs last season, but the Blues remembered beginning their approach for the young German forward a tad too late, about a couple of weeks before the end of the transfer window. Leverkusen would have loved to get about £20 million for the player, but Rudi Voller, the team’s GM, said there is no time to find someone of his caliber in such a short timespan, and the move was delayed.
It worked fine for Leverkusen, who enjoyed the talented player, who can play as both winger and striker for another season, and also for Schurrle, who needed to get better and more experienced before the difficult struggles for a place in the lineup he’ll probably have next season. He can just ask Marko Marin how hard it is breaking into the Chelsea lineup, although when you come with an expensive price tag, things get a little bit easier. Schurrle has been capped 22 times for the national team, scoring 7 times, and has 16 league goals in 59 matches for Bayer. He’ll be celebrating his 23 birthday next November.
Frank Lampard might be on his way to the MLS, possibly replacing David Beckham in Los Angeles, as the Galaxy have improved their offer from $5 million to $6 for the next couple of years, maybe Lampard’s final contract in professional football. Lampard isn’t going to get an extension on his current deal with Chelsea, and not being part of the FA Cup semifinal against Manchester City might have been another signal it’s time to go.
An interesting aspect of Lampard’s departure to the MLS might mean that he will get no rest from a full Premier League season, while his marriage to TV presenter Christine Bleakley on June 12 will be postponed.