MINNEAPOLIS – Former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is returning to the English Premier League with Manchester City on a six-month loan from MLS expansion team New York City FC.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini confirmed the deal Saturday after the club's International Challenge Cup victory over Olimpiacos at the University of Minnesota.
"From next week, on Wednesday, he'll start working with our team," Pellegrini said. "At the moment, he will start working with our squad because he is a member of the squad. He will be in the fight for a position. We have a very good team. He is one player more. We have a lot of competition, especially in the Champions League, so he is very important to our team."
Lampard signed a two-year contact with the New York club — owned by Manchester City and the New York Yankees — last month. The MLS team is scheduled to begin play next year.
The 36-year-old Lampard is Chelsea's career goals leader. Manchester City is scheduled to face Chelsea on Sept. 21 in the Premier League.
Pellegrini was asked about Lampard facing Chelsea.
"I will talk about those things with him," Pellegrini said.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.