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City keen to extend Lampard's loan

Manchester City are hoping to extend Frank Lampard's loan deal beyond January © Getty Images

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Manchester City are open to the possibility of extending Frank Lampard's loan move at the club, but no deal has been agreed yet.

The 36-year-old midfielder joined the Premier League champions until January from New York City but their inaugural Major League Soccer campaign does not begin until March.

That could give City some leeway to keep Chelsea's record goalscorer for longer although sources told ESPN nothing has been finalised.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini said in a news conference: "Frank will stay until January because until January he doesn't have anything to do in the United States because they are not working. In January, we will see what happens here and make a decision."

City are set to lose one central midfielder in January when Yaya Toure appears in Ivory Coast's squad for the African Cup of Nations, which ends on February 8.

Lampard scored his first City goal in Sunday's 1-1 draw against his former club Chelsea, which Vincent Kompany claimed could be crucial in the title race, and is set to be involved when they host Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup.

If his loan is extended he could play for City in the return at Stamford Bridge with the sides due to meet on 31 January and has said he would like the chance to say a proper goodbye to Chelsea's fans.

Pellegrini refused to fuel speculation that City would move for Everton's Ross Barkley next year after reports emerged that they were quoted a £50 million price for the midfielder last summer.

"We are not trying to bring anyone to our squad at this moment," Pellegrini insisted. "We have an important restriction on money and the amount of players we can have in our squad. I don't know where the news comes [from] but here in Manchester City it is not a problem in this moment."

Pellegrini also claimed that he was not criticising Chelsea when he called them "a small team" for what he saw as their defensive approach on Sunday and irked counterpart Jose Mourinho.

The City manager compared Chelsea to Stoke, who had won 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium, but said it is up to his side to break down opponents who keep plenty of players behind the ball.

"I said we played against a big team against a small team with very good players because all of them can defend," Pellegrini said. "They can play how they want to. I am not criticising the way they play.

"Every team can play the way that thinks it is the best way to do it. We have the same problem against Stoke and Chelsea and we couldn't resolve it. We must work more to resolve it. It is our problem and we must find a way to score."

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