Chelsea boss Frank Lampard played down Callum Hudson-Odoi’s claims that his side can challenge for the Premier League title.

The Blues are unbeaten in their last eight games in all competitions and sit fifth in the table, three points off leaders Leicester.

England Under-21 winger Hudson-Odoi said: “We’ve started really well and we want to maintain that.

“We want to keep building, keep getting goals, keep getting assists and keep working hard as a team and hopefully, you never know, we could win the title as well.”

But Lampard said: “Yeah he’s a young man! He’s excited! I get it. I like confidence, I like the players feeling like that.

“I’m delighted with Callum going away and playing and scoring goals and, for me, as a young, developing player your performances like that, when you have Callum’s talent, will always be a reflection of how you train and prepare yourself and all those things.

“So it’s brilliant news for us and for Callum. As for us as a team, my job is to dampen what he’s said there and say that we know there’s a long way to go.”

Manchester City’s manager Pep Guardiola has committed his future to the Etihad club by agreeing a new two-year deal at the club.

The contract, which now runs to the summer of 2023, sees Guardiola commitment to Man City extended to seven years from his arrival in 2016.

The 49-year-old’s current five-year stay is already the longest he has stayed at one club since becoming a manager in 2008. This extension would see him overtake Joe Mercer and put him second on the club’s list of longest-serving post-war managers.

Since joining Man City, Guardiola has won eight major trophies. In total, the team has won 181 of the 245 matches under him with a win rate of 73.87 per cent.

After signing the new deal, Guardiola told the club’s official website: “Ever since I arrived at Manchester City I have been made to feel so welcome in the club and in the city itself- from the players, the staff, the supporters, the people of Manchester and the chairman and owner. Since then we have achieved a great deal together, scored goals, won games and trophies, and we are all very proud of that success.

“Having that kind of support is the best thing any manager can have. I have everything I could possibly want to do my job well and I am humbled by the confidence the owner, chairman, Ferran [Soriano] and Txiki [Begiristain] have shown in me to continue for two more years after this season.

“The challenge for us is to continue improving and evolving, and I am very excited and about helping Manchester City do that.”

Lionel Messi has once again shown his frustration at current events by stating: “I’m tired of always being the problem for everything at the club.”

According to El Mundo Deportivo, the comments appear to be in retaliation to Eric Olhats, the former agent of Antoine Griezmann, which were critical of the Argentine star.

Messi said in a brief statement to assembled journalists, whilst leaving the airport in Barcelona: “I’m tired of always being the problem for everything at the club.”

Olhats told France Football, as per Mundo Deportivo: “Antoine arrived at a club with serious problems where Messi controls everything. He is both emperor and monarch and did not see Antoine’s arrival with good eyes.

“Messi’s attitude has been deplorable, he has made him feel it. I’ve always heard Antoine say that he had no problems with Messi, but never the other way around. It is the regime of terror. Either you are with him, or you are against him.”

Olivier Giroud’s agent confirms a January exit from Chelsea is likely and ‘the ideal would be to go abroad and discover a new environment’ amid Inter, Roma and Lazio interest.

The 34-year-old continues to score regularly for France, despite getting very little playing time at Stamford Bridge.

He had already been on the verge of joining Inter in September, but instead extended his contract with Chelsea.

“The situation is different now, because there are no options to extend the contract,” Michael Manuello told FootMercato as cited Football Italia.

“At the age of 34, if the situation doesn’t change at Chelsea this time, he wants to go play and enjoy himself. It’s all changed, there’s no transfer embargo, so it’s easier for everyone now.

“It’s still too early to say what’s concrete and what’s just rumours, we’ll see closer to mid-December how clubs are doing and if Olivier gets more playing time at Chelsea. We’ll decide one way or another in December.”

The Guardian reports today that Giroud would prefer a move to Italy, and that does seem to be the situation, with interest still there from Inter, Roma and Lazio.

“Going back to Ligue 1 is not a priority for him,” confirmed the agent.

“He has other things he wants to experience, is looking for somewhere he can enjoy his football, quality of life and feel excitement.

“The ideal would be to go abroad, discover another culture and new environment. A Premier League club with big objectives could make him consider, but he’s ready to try something abroad.”

Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard has reportedly been in contact with Ross Barkley over the midfielder’s future at Stamford Bridge.

The Chelsea midfielder is currently on a season-long loan at Aston Villa after the Blues strengthened their squad in the summer transfer window.

Dean Smith’s side sit sixth in the Premier League, with Barkley playing a key role in impressive wins over Leicester, Liverpool and Arsenal.

The former Everton midfieler’s impressive form at Villa Park has seen renewed calls for him to be called up to the England squad, as well as Chelsea to give him regular minutes next season.

And according to Eurosport, Blues boss Lampard has contacted the player to make it clear how impressed he has been with his performances so far.

The report claims the door remains open for Barkley at Stamford Bridge if the remainder of his loan spell continues in the same fashion.

Despite having N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic as midfield options, former Arsenal star Paul Merson claims Lampard was wrong to send Barkley out on loan.