Which Chelsea old boy will end up facing the Blues next season... Frankie Lampard or John Terry?
Lamps’ Derby face Aston Villa, where JT is assistant under Dean Smith, in the Championship play-off final worth £170m to the victors.
Wembley is sold out on bank holiday Monday for what (if Fulham’s experience is anything to go by last year) will be a tense affair.
Chelsea’s own preparations for the Europa final against Arsenal in Azerbaijan two days later have been damaged by the injury to in-form Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s left Achilles in the charity friendly in Boston.
Although the game against New England Revolution was comfortably won 3-0, with Ross Barkley netting a brace, the sight of Loftus-Cheek hobbling away afterwards reduces the midfield options for Morrie Sarri in Baku.
It’s a game that’s too close to call, although the Gunners’ firepower up front probably makes them marginal favourites.
Meanwhile Chelsea are weighing up a possible approach for Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale, who turns 30 this summer and who appears keen to leave Spain.
But everything is up in the air because the Blues will not know until July whether Fifa’s two-window transfer ban stands. If the club’s appeal fails, there will be a mass recall of key on-loan players, to bolster the squad – something most fans feel should be done anyway, to blood a few more young prospects.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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