How Chelsea signings Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva will improve Frank Lampard's side next season

Matt Davies30 August 2020

Frank Lampard has hailed the signings of both Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva, believing the pair will instantly provide Chelsea with additional quality both offensively and defensively.

Chelsea have invested significantly this summer, with Lampard looking to add both Kai Havertz and a replacement for Kepa Arrizabalaga to the signings of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Malang Sarr, Chilwell and Silva.

Werner and Ziyech have already made their unofficial debuts for Chelsea in their 1-1 pre-season draw away at Brighton, in which the former scored after just four minutes.

The London club will face increased expectations next season subsequently to their spending spree, with Lampard warning a top-four finish will no longer be good enough.

The former midfielder excited by the players now at his disposal, however, insisting Chilwell's youth and quality make for a highly "positive" signing.

In Pictures | Brighton vs Chelsea | 29/08/2020

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"With Ben Chilwell, he is a player I know very well, he has been pretty much England’s first-choice left-back now in recent times," Lampard told the club's website.

"Great qualities in terms of how he can join in, he is athletic, his physicality, the way he plays and the quality of his left foot.

"For us in terms of how he can help out on the left side, attack-wise and defensively, which of course is always first and foremost, I am excited to work with him so I think he is a great addition.

"At 23 years of age, it is a really positive one for us."

Chelsea 2020 summer transfer window

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Lampard is also delighted by the acquisition of Silva, who signed on a free transfer in a one-year deal with an option of a further 12 months.

After playing his final game for Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League final loss to Bayern Munich, Silva insisted he has joined Chelsea to win trophies, a sentiment Lampard certainly agrees with.

"With Thiago Silva, we are looking at a player I know very well, pretty much as we all do," Lampard added.

"He brings great experience for us, he is still playing at a massively high level, as we saw in the Champions League final and games towards the final.

"I expect him to come and bring that, bring his experience, leadership and his qualities. It is going to be very important for us."

"We have a relatively young squad, we saw that last year. There were games afterwards when I was probably asking for more voice and some more leadership in different ways and he brings that naturally straight away."