Cavani desire to leave PSG sparks Lampard interest

Gwendoline Le Goff via www.imago-images.de

Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani's desire to leave Paris Saint-Germain has stoked the interest of Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, who has bemoaned his players' lack of clinical finishing.

Tammy Abraham has scored 16 goals in all competitions this season but Lampard is aware that he needs support.

The 1-0 defeat by Newcastle on Saturday highlighted a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal with defeat preventing Chelsea from extending their advantage over their rivals for a Champions League place.

Fourth-placed Chelsea play Arsenal on Tuesday and are presently five points clear of Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Arsenal are 10 points adrift of their London rivals.

Cavani is PSG's record goalscorer with 198 but the 116-times capped striker told the board he wanted to leave for Atletico Madrid having fallen behind Mauro Icardi in the pecking order this season.

However, Lampard said he would be interested in a striker of the 32-year-old's class when he was told at the eve of match press conference of Cavani's desire to leave PSG.

"He's a great player," said Lampard of Cavani.

"I played against him and I always loved his mentality and attitude, and obviously his goal-scoring record speaks for itself.

"I'm not absolutely aware of what the situation is, so we'll see.

"The idea of bringing in experience is something I'm certainly not absolutely looking away from.

"Because sometimes the young players need a little bit of help, and if that's the case then that may help us."

Lampard denied that defeat by Newcastle made it all the more urgent he delve into the transfer market.

"I don't think Newcastle hastens anything, it's just we couldn't do any business in the summer window," said Lampard referring to the FIFA transfer ban which has now been lifted but which existed in the close season.

"At this point it's something (lack of accurate finishing) we've seen as a bit of a problem in our home games.

"So we've got to work hard with the group here, and then if we can improve in terms of goal scoring, it's for sure something we have to look at."