England midfielder Frank Lampard has signed for Major League Soccer side New York City, agreeing a two year contract with the newly-formed club.
The 36-year-old was a free agent after leaving Chelsea in June, where he earned legendary status after scoring a club-record 147 goals in 429 appearances for the Stamford Bridge outfit.
Frank Lampard scored a club-record 147 goals for Chelsea
And after listening to offers from several clubs during the summer, Lampard has set his heart on pastures new and was unveiled at a press conference in New York on Thursday afternoon.
"It’s a very exciting challenge for me, I had a fantastic 13 years at Chelsea and I can look back on it with great pride but I felt it was time to move on," said Lampard, who was part of the England squad at the World Cup earlier this summer.
"I’ve seen a real long-term plan from everyone involved in the club and I want to be a part of that.
"I’m coming to a great city and I want to show people that I can play good football, be a big personality in the dressing room.
"Back home in England, we saw David Beckham come here and we saw the league take big strides, not just because of David.
"There are big players coming out here now – Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and David Villa are all here.
“It's a very exciting challenge for me in life terms. I've seen a real long-term plan and I wanted to be part of that.”
Frank Lampard
"The respect for the MLS has gone up around the world and that’s what makes me this such an exciting challenge for me."
With 106 caps for England, Lampard was also questioned about his international future, as the new MLS season for New York will not start until next year.
Recent New York City signing David Villa is set to spend three months on loan with Australian team Melbourne City and it had been rumoured that Lampard could join him in the A-League.
But the former West Ham United man wouldn't be drawn on any speculation about his immediate plans on either the domestic or international front.
"I’ve had a bit of time after the World Cup, which was obviously very disappointing for us," he revealed.
"I need to think about England, I haven’t got a complete answer on that at the moment.
"Now I know where I'll be playing my football next year, I can make that decision.
"I’m going to keep fit, that’s the main thing."
