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Alla Zakarian

16-02-2020 | 20:17 Football
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Frank Lampard explains what Hakim Ziyech's Chelsea transfer means for Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham

Frank Lampard believes that a big part of his success as a player was down to the competition provided from big-money signings like Michael Ballack and Michael Essien and now he is calling on his players to react similarly. Lampard has expressed his delight in signing Ajax star Hakim Ziyech. Ajax and Chelsea have reached an agreement for the transfer of Ziyech. The player will join The Blues in July and will finish the season in Amsterdam. According to the report by the club, they have agreed on a deal of 40 million euros. This sum could potentially increase to a maximum of € 44 million, with variable factors. Asked what his reaction was as a player when the club routinely signed established midfielders every summer, Lampard said: "I think it's a good thing. It needs to be reacted to in the right way. I certainly felt it and as I felt it more and more I got better at accepting it. "When I was younger I was probably a bit fearful of it. As I got older, I took on the challenge with a bit more maturity and thought about what I could do to make sure I deserve to be in the team year-in-year-out. Those challenges were good. Looking back, they were part of the process of making me. "When you set someone that challenge they either go for it or back off away from it. I took that challenge on. The players now need to take that challenge on constantly. Squads look a little different now, there is more competition, bigger squads. "There are more demands physically on players than there has ever been, so they need to understand they are part of a squad that wants to go somewhere and show they deserve to be right in the middle of it." Lampard also believes that Abraham, who will have a late fitness test on his ankle injury before Monday night's game, and Mount will have benefited more from the winter break. But after a week off he wants to see them finish the campaign strongly. "If that [overhaul] happens - and it should happen at a club like Chelsea because top clubs should always look to improve - that will be a challenge that's laid down in front of the young players," he added. "It's one that they just have to react positively to. It's part and parcel of playing here at Chelsea. "The young players have made a great impact this season and we have had a reliance on them to a degree because we couldn't bring anyone in. Through the season there are going to be difficult little times but if you look at Tammy Abraham at the moment, maybe Mason, the break was particularly good for them. "They can hopefully come back and show more levels to their game. They have had tough times recently and it's up to them to show it." Source: Football.london

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