Lampard reveals two top players he wanted to sign for Chelsea. »

• Lampard names two top players he wanted to sign for Chelsea.

When he was in charge of Chelsea, Frank Lampard claimed that he wanted to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund and Declan Rice from West Ham United.

However, Lampard acknowledged that he clearly missed out on the England midfielders.

In England’s spectacular 6-2 victory against Iran in their World Cup group stage match on Monday in Qatar, Bellingham, 19, and Rice, 23, started.

The duo have become guaranteed starters under England manager Gareth Southgate.

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“He’s crucial already, he is an outstanding talent for such a young player,” Lampard told Sky Sports of Bellingham.

“He’s more experienced and talented than his years show to do what he’s done on the top level already.

“I tried to sign him when I was at Chelsea, I wanted to sign him and Declan Rice, that will be England’s midfield for this tournament [2022 World Cup], probably.”

From July 2019 to January 2021, Lampard served as Chelsea’s manager. After imposing a transfer ban when he took over the west London club, Lampard wanted to sign Bellingham and Rice in the summer of 2020.