Rio Ferdinand has urged Chelsea to take advantage of Arsenal’s indecision and make a move to sign Thomas Partey, a signing which would complete a perfect summer window for Lampard.
Partey had been earmarked as a priority target by Mikel Arteta but Arsenal have been unable to raise the funds required to activate the player’s €50m release clause.
Lucas Torreira will complete his loan move to Atletico Madrid this weekend, but that deal is said to have nothing to do with Partey’s future and a possible move to north London.
The blues have already made seven major signings at a cost of well over £200 million.
But, Lampard is keen on Declan Rice, but West ham are determined to hold onto the midfielder and reports on Friday claimed Chelsea could now switch their attention to Partey.
Ferdinand told BT Sport: ‘I think a huge thing for them is to stop conceding goals. I think Frank would have looked at it last season and three of the back four that will be playing today are new players.
‘He’ll have seen that, a lot of goals conceded and I think the most conceded in 22 years at the club. More importantly we reports today of Partey coming in in that central area.
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‘I don’t think he’s happy with the likes of Kovacic or Jorginho. You can see that because he’s chopping and changing in those positions.
‘Getting someone like that in to protect the back four or five along with Kante goes a long way to nulifying the goals against.’
Former Chelsea player Joe Cole added: ‘As soon as possible I think Frank wants to nail down the goalkeeping position and back four and then he can just tinker with that midfield and Partey would be a fantastic signing.’
