Chelsea midfielder hopes to emulate Frank Lampard

Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley is hoping to emulate idol Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge by making an improvement on his goalscoring contribution. The England international joined the Blues from Everton in January but he managed just two league appearances through the 2017/18 season as he struggled with fitness issues following a serious hamstring injury.

However, with the new campaign, Barkley has been ever-present for the Blues in the starting lineup and he is now hoping to emulate Lampard by making a regular contribution onto the scoresheet, he said: “He’s someone [Lampard] to look at with the success he achieved for the club and for himself. I’ve played with Frank and I saw what he was like around England, and how much of a top professional he was.He was an idol of mine from when I was a young lad, watching Champions League games and seeing the goals he scored. If I could achieve half of what he did here, then that would be a success. I believe I can hit the 20 goals a season mark.”

Barkley had a forgettable 2017/18 season where he was largely hampered by a hamstring problem but this saw him miss the summer World Cup with England. Nonetheless, he is now targeting a return to the national side, given he has managed to claim regular gametime with the FA Cup holders.

At present, Barkley is occupying one of the three midfield positions alongside N’Golo Kante and Jorginho but his situation could change in the coming weeks, should he showcase a drop in his performance levels. Both Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have already been used from the bench since the start of the season and Barkley may face further competition with Danny Drinkwater and Cesc Fabregas (currently injured) waiting on the wings. Barkley could start his third-straight league game for Chelsea when they face Newcastle United on the road this weekend.