Report: Lampard urging Chelsea to re-sign Willian

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is desperate for the club to re-sign pending free agent Willian so that he has enough depth to compete in the Champions League next season, sources told ESPN's James Olley.

The 31-year-old is under contract with Chelsea until the end of the 2019-20 campaign, but Lampard is reportedly trying to convince both the club and player to continue together.

Willian wants an agreement of at least three years in length, according to Olley, but Chelsea could offer the Brazilian more money per season in exchange for a shorter deal. The Blues rarely give long-term extensions to players over 30.

Lampard has assured Willian that he'd have a significant role to play in the upcoming season, sources added, even with Hakim Ziyech arriving from Ajax for a reported €40-million fee. Like Willian, Ziyech usually plays on the right wing.

Willian has spent the past seven years at Chelsea and remained ever-present in Lampard's rotation. He appeared in all but two Premier League matches in 2019-20 and only missed out on the season finale due to injury.