Just when you thought Spygate had gone away, it keeps finding a way to pop back up again.
We thought the fine that Leeds were forced to pay was going to be the end of it, but no, it’s reared its ugly head again, twice in the space of a week. First Derby chairman Mel Morris cited Spygate as one of the possible reasons that Marcelo Bielsa’s side faltered towards the end of the season. Now it seems as though another club is getting involved in the action, but in a rather peculiar manner.
The Sun reports that Leeds United are concerned that Frank Lampard’s seemingly inevitable appointment as Chelsea manager could scupper one of their potential loan signings. Bielsa’s side had been looking at signing young defender Jake Clarke-Salter, who spent last season on loan at Vitesse Arnhem, making 37 appearances in all competitions.
However, the reports suggest that Leeds are worried that Frank Lampard could hold a grudge over Leeds because of the entire affair and stop any of his academy players, notably Clarke-Salter, from heading to Elland Road on loan or permanently.
Now whilst Chelsea’s impending transfer ban might dissuade Lampard from sending a few of his players out on loan, there will still be some that need game time, but they will now be one destination short. Leeds United have previously had good relationships with Chelsea and took three players from them last season, Jamal Blackman, Lewis Baker and Izzy Brown.
But will Frank Lampard be that petty when it comes to this move? He did spend a lot of time under Jose Mourinho, who has been called petty on multiple occasions in the past, and from the evidence so far, it looks as though the apple didn’t fall far from the tree in this scenario.
We saw how happy he was to mock Leeds United fans over the ‘stop crying Frank Lampard chants’, and even made his own Spygate joke after an FA Cup game at Southampton in January, so it’s very possible that that grudge can see itself being played out at his new club too.