While it will be controversial in the media limelight, England International Frank Lampard has made a very strong but reasonable push for Chelsea to change their record of bringing young talent through the ranks and getting them into the first team, similar to the success that Manchester United and Arsenal has had recently.

Via DailyMail

‘I don’t want to sound controversial, but we have to work harder, in my opinion, at getting local boys from parts of England, where I grew up in Essex and up north,’ the product of the West Ham United academy told Chelsea TV.

‘ We need to work hard with the boys to make them want to come and be at Chelsea. I don’t think we have to put lots of dollar signs in front of their faces. Sometimes I just think we have to get them in, work hard on them to make them develop.

‘I’d love to see that and I think that’s what sets some other academies apart and what they are doing better than us, to be honest.’

Chelsea have a core of English talent - Lampard, Ashley Cole, Joe Cole and John Terry - but each has been bought in, while rivals Manchester United and Arsenal have a much better record of nurturing players through the ranks.

Their best homegrown prospect Michael Mancienne has found first-team opportunities hard to come by.

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