Frank Lampard wants Chelsea’s goalkeepers to learn from working with Petr Cech after they were given an opportunity to train with the club’s former No 1.
The Chelsea manager has had problems finding the right keeper and he hopes that signing Édouard Mendy from Rennes for £22m will bring the best out of Willy Caballero and Kepa Arrizabalaga, who could be dropped for Saturday evening’s trip to West Brom after struggling against Brighton and Liverpool.
Lampard believes the competition created by Mendy’s arrival could improve Arrizabalaga’s form but he has another ace up his sleeve. The 38-year-old Cech, who became Chelsea’s technical and performance adviser after retiring last year, has been handing out goalkeeping tips while working on his fitness at the training ground.
“With Petr he had so much to give on that side of things,” said Lampard, who did not rule out Arrizabalaga leaving on loan. “Obviously his daily job is to be technical adviser and he has been a great help to me on that front. Having Petr train with the goalkeepers and bring his experience is a great thing. He still has great quality. I think he retired pretty young.
“He’s training and keeping fit, which I think is healthy for him and the goalkeepers in the squad. I think it’s as far as it goes. I’ve got absolutely no problem with it. It’s something that’s really positive for the goalkeepers and Petr enjoys doing it. Why not get back and give that experience to the goalkeepers?”
Cech was crucial in the signing of Mendy, who is not ready to start against West Brom. “There’s no written rule to when he’s out there at the minute,” Lampard said of Cech. “It’s something I like. We are a tightknit family. That was one of the things when I came back to the club.
“It’s not like I’m going to put my boots on and take part every day, but we’re trying to make sure that the group is together. Petr has his job but he’s also at times helping with the goalkeepers. Why would you not tap into having the best goalkeeper in the world, which he was for a long time, to pass on that knowledge?”
Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing Antonio Rüdiger, who has been left out of Chelsea’s last two squads. Chelsea could insist on a permanent deal for the defender.