England coach Fabio Capello on Friday urged Frank Lampard to snub Inter Milan and stay at Chelsea.
Lampard is a transfer target for Inter boss Jose Mourinho, who worked with the England star during his spell in charge at Stamford Bridge.
The 30-year-old has just a year to run on his current contract and is yet to announce a decision over his future, but Capello believes the England team would benefit if he remained in west London.
“As England coach I would prefer it if Lampard remained in England. He would have less travelling to do that way,” he told the Sun.
Capello has good reason to want Lampard to stay close to home because the Italian already has such a shallow pool of English talent to choose from.
In contrast to Italy, where over 70 percent of the players in Serie A are homegrown, just 35 percent of Premier League players are available to Capello.
“I’m worse off than (Italy coach) Marcello Lippi, than everyone. I have Welsh players, Scottish, Irish,” he said.
“In the Premier League only 35 per cent of the players are English. In Italy it’s about 72 per cent.”
Capello revealed he will finish coaching once he leaves the England job, with success at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa his goal in the meantime.
“I will complete my contract with England, but my time in the dugout will end with my England experience,” he said.
“However, I would like to end my career having made an impact at a World Cup.”
The former AC Milan and Real Madrid manager also gave David Beckham hope that he can have a role to play in South Africa despite his move to Major League Soccer.
Capello said: “As long as he’s at the level to play, he’ll play.”
